Living Humbly
30 Apr 2010 6 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: afflictions, alice ervin, chronic, faith, hopekeepers, humble, humility, illness, limitations, pain, prayer, rest ministries, trust
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:10)
Listening to the radio one night, I heard a mens quartet sing a song with this very title – Livin’ Humble. As our scripture tells us, that is what the Lord wants us to do, but just how do we go about it?
The more I thought on it, the more I realized that I didn’t really know what living humble meant until I was stricken with one physical problem after another. I was going about each day doing most anything I wanted to, and enjoying life to the fullest for the most part.
But, was I truly being humble in my daily life back then as Jesus would have wanted me to? I know now that I wasn’t. It grieves me, so how much more must it have grieved the Father?
What I am about to write doesn’t even begin to touch on all meaning of the scripture. But, I believe it plays a part.
I have found out the last twenty years or so just how humbling it is to have to depend on others for so many things that I used to do on my own. I so appreciate all the help others are willing to give, but it is so hard to ask for it. To have others cook and bring in food, clean our home; come to visit me instead of me taking a turn to visit them. And, this doesn’t even begin to name all that I need help with.
The latest and hardest thing I have had to do is take my husband away from his work, sometimes at very critical times, to take me to a doctor appointment, for tests, even just to get my haircut. All due to a freakish problem that happened suddenly to one of my eyes that left me seeing only images.
Livin’ humble? I imagine most of you would say with me that we who live with daily chronic illness have had to learn to “live humble” in one way or another over and over again. But, I also think you would agree with me when I say “These are the most precious times with my Lord I have ever had.”
I’m learning that I need to lean on Jesus and to “humble myself” before Him in every area of my life. Not that I don’t fall short of that goal at times. I pray more, I sing His praises more . . I see Him in every part of my life.
If this is even a small part of what it means to be “livin’ humble,” then I wouldn’t want to live any other way.
Prayer: Thank You, Father, for showing me how much humility in a person’s life means to You. Dear Lord, You are our best example of One who was humble.
About the Author:
Alice Ervin lives in Dayton, Ohio with her husband, Dan. She is blessed to have her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren living close by. She enjoys singing, birding, writing poetry and devotionals, and loves to read, even though that is limited at the moment. Most of all she enjoys knowing and serving the Lord, Jesus.
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Think
29 Apr 2010 3 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: chronic, darkness, faith, focus, God's love, God's truth, hopekeepers, illness, Julie Munroe, pain, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, rest ministries
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true. . .” (Philippians 4:8)
I am sure we have all read this verse many times. It has edified and encouraged, it is also hard to read at times, especially when gaining control of our thoughts seems out of our control.
Depression is an illness, it is a disease that, left to its sinister ways, can destroy and degrade a life. Depression is made that much harder to cope with when you are not able to take the drugs that help so many others.
I have personally suffered varying forms of depression. It sneaks up on you like a dark damp fog rolling in off the bay. Sometimes you can even see it coming, but it fools you into thinking that the darkness won’t be so bad this time.
PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) is a dramatic form of premenstrual syndrome. Most women get grumpy and irritable at certain times, but 3-8% suffer severe deep dark holes of depression and anxiety that are (can be) short lived each month, but left unchecked can be dangerous to themselves and others.
When you are unable to take medication to help this sort of depression due to your own bodies inability to tolerate the chemical input, dealing with this type of rolling depression becomes all the more difficult.
But God has made a way (in His Word). Learning to identify the darkness as untrue and focusing on God’s truth –even when the dark feelings do not leave, even when your emotions are trying to tell you its truth and you are battling to believe God’s truth, keep pushing back.
Tell yourself the truth, even if it makes no difference or sense to the ‘feeling’ of truth. Believe the truth of God’s Word over the feeling and emotion in your thoughts.
GOD loves ME
I AM His child
My emotions and thoughts may be real to me now but this will pass or change.
You may not be able to change how you feel at that time but you can tell yourself Gods truth which will help you to believe you will feel change in time. Gods’ truth will always win.
About the Author:
Julie Munro lives in New Zealand and is mother to a wonderful daughter who is pursuing a career in Radio. Julie lives with “invisible illnesses” that God is using to teach her lessons she many never have learned.
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Gardened For God
28 Apr 2010 5 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: afflictions, back, Bronlynn Spindler, challenges, chronic, contentment, depression, faith, fibromyalgia, fruitfulness, God's control, God's sovereignty, headaches, hopekeepers, illness, joy, obedience, pain, patience, peace, perseverance, rest ministries, Thanksgiving, trials, weakness
“Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God.” (Hebrews 6:7)
I have not had much experience with farming, but I know enough about gardening to see an interesting lesson for myself in this verse.
If the “land” of my life is going to produce crops, it must first be tilled. This involves using sharp tools, such as my pain and illnesses, to dig up and remove anything that would hinder my spiritual growth. I do not enjoy the process of being tilled and hoed, but God knows what needs to be removed, including the idol I sometimes make of good health. He then plants His seeds of perseverance, joy, patience, thanksgiving, faith, and others.
Once God plants these seeds, I face other challenges in order to grow. The rains do not always come in gentle showers, but may also come in heavy floods, taking days to absorb. The sun does not always shine with comforting warmth, but with an intense and scorching heat. Soft breezes can become fierce gales.
Yet God controls the elements in my life just as He controls the elements in nature. He knows that by His power, I am capable of producing these crops of fruit for Him, even in weakness and pain. If I allow whatever wind, sun, and rain He sends to bring growth, God will honor and bless that. Perhaps the blessing will not be in the form of my choosing at this moment, but He will bring it.
The Lord has called each of us to bear fruit that will last (John 15:16). The blessing that comes from being obedient to that calling, regardless of the obstacles we face, includes a peace and contentment that the world can neither give nor understand. He will sustain us through any conditions, until He harvests us home.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, may I willingly allow You to be my life’s gardener. Use my weaknesses to produce fruit for You, as I abide in You. Amen.
About the Author:
Bronlynn Spindler lives in VA and is blessed to have the support and encouragement of a wonderful husband and three grown daughters. God’s grace and strength give her the ability to deal with chronic back pain, depression, headaches, and fibromyalgia. You may contact her at spindler@cox.net and view her blog of devotionals at www.aplaceofsprings57.blogspot.com.
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Emmaus
27 Apr 2010 6 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: challenges, chronic, confusion, God's presence, hopekeepers, illness, lynn severance, overwhelmed, pain, peace, rest ministries
“Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing Him.” (Luke 24:13-16)
How could it be that these two disciples, having been with Jesus during the years of his public ministry, did not recognize Him after he had risen from the dead? What kept them from recognizing Him?
It could have been that their grief-stricken state overwhelmed them. Perhaps they were preoccupied with unanswered questions.
Yet, Jesus walked beside them.
As they spoke, He opened the meaning of all the Scriptures to them. Still, their eyes were not opened to who He was until suppertime that evening. The simple gesture when He broke bread to eat with them – a gesture known to them, brought them the needed recognition.
The One who had been broken for them in all ways, helped them to see with new eyes that He was their risen Lord.
Christ gently companioned these two disciples on that road to Emmaus. Daily, He is such a companion to me. Yet, my eyes can become blinded by my challenges or I can get sidetracked when I focus on what I cannot understand. I often falter when it comes to turning quickly to the One beside me who does understand it all.
I love this Emmaus story. It helps me remember Christ’s patience when walking beside me during the times I feel overwhelmed.
He knows when to open my eyes. Does that mean I will have all the answers I seek? No. Yet, I have known peace in having him close or in recalling Scriptures that encourage me. At times I have known understanding.
Christ endured brokenness so that I can now walk with him. This reality truly gets my eyes opened. All else can fall into place, or not, as we walk on the road that leads Home.
Prayer: Lord, “Open my eyes, that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me.” Amen. (Excerpt from hymn written by Clara H. Scott)
About the Author:
Lynn Severance is a retired elementary classroom teacher. She lives in Lynnwood, Washington. She writes to encourage others as God has encouraged her during 27 years of living with daily physical challenges.
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Like A Tree
26 Apr 2010 8 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: chronic, endurance, Fiona Burrows, fruitfulness, hope, hopekeepers, illness, pain, rest ministries, strength, trust, uselessness, worry
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 7:7-8)
I love to photograph trees, the variety, the shape, even the twisted trunks of dead trees – they all appeal to me.
These verses in Jeremiah paint a picture of hope. In the midst of all the criticism the Lord is having Jeremiah pass on to the people who have gone astray, he reminds them that if they will only turn back to the Lord and trust in Him, they will be blessed.
The tallest trees have some of the longest roots. In order to balance the height of the tree, they need a firm base to withstand the wind, or storms. The trees described here are alongside a water source so it is well watered. A well-watered tree, is green and healthy and will bear fruit or sometimes flowers, that go on to support birds, animals, insects, or provide us with food.
If I think of myself as being like a tree – as it says in Jeremiah – I need to be nourished in order to live, I need to be in right relationship with the Lord. I need to be mindful of the foundations of my faith, that like the roots will keep me strong in the trying times. I need that living water that Christ promised to us. It also says that I need not worry – something I spend too much time doing – rather hand over those worries to God.
Living with chronic illness, it may seem hard to see ourselves as “always green” – I know I often feel dry and shriveled up. I know I look at my circumstances and know that without my faith, I couldn’t make it through each day of pain. I wonder though if these verses today remind me that even when I may feel dried up and useless because of my circumstances, it is saying that God sees me as a green tree and He can still use me to bear fruit for Him.
About the Author:
Fiona Burrows lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is thankful for the difference God makes in her life as she lives with chronic pain. She enjoys finding time for reading, writing, travel and photography.
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Clinging To God’s Track Record
25 Apr 2010 4 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: afflictions, chronic, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, depression, difficulties, discouragement, endurance, forsaken, grace, hardships, hopekeepers, hopelessness, illness, Karlton Douglas, pain, problems, remember, rest ministries, strength, trials, trust, weak
“These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:7)
While going through a particularly bad time lately, the question arose in my mind: “Is this it? Is this my breaking point where I finally cave in under the stress of my affliction?” But then I got to thinking about so many other terrible times in the past, when things looked and felt particularly grim. God pulled me through every one of those past terrible trials, and I concluded that He has not brought me this far just to let me be crushed by my affliction after all this time.
You may be feeling that an impossible load is upon your shoulders, more than you can ever hope to endure. Sometimes when our already terrible afflictions take an even worse turn, we are tempted to become discouraged, depressed, and perhaps even wonder if we are finally at the end of our rope.
Yet we are not left hopeless. My guess is that God has pulled you through some very hard times in the past, times that seemed particularly hopeless, but you survived by God’s grace and strength.
It is helpful to remember those past victories when things are looking bleak, when you cannot easily see a way forward. God has not brought you so far to leave you immobilized before reaching the end of your race. Trust Him, and remember what He has already done for you.
Prayer: Dear Lord, sometimes thing look bleak, dark and hopeless, yet You have never forsaken us. Carry us forward during those times we are too weak to carry ourselves. Get us to the finish line for Your glory and praise. Amen.
About the Author:
Karlton Douglas lives in Ohio with his lovely wife. With God’s help he has survived many years with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Crohn’s Disease. He is author of the book: Chronic Illness.
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Giving The Lord The Glory
24 Apr 2010 8 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: Carol Ann Adams, chronic, frustration, hopekeepers, illness, limitations, pain, peace, prayer, rest ministries, Thanksgiving, uselessness, worship
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of His Holiness.” (Psalm 29:2)
Having a chronic illness causes us to miss out on a lot of things. I often am not able to go to church because of feeling too ill. I can’t volunteer like I once did. Honestly, chronic illness can take quite a toll on our spiritual life. We may feel useless.
But there is a part of our relationship with God we don’t have to miss out on. We can offer Him our worship.
In the Old Testament worship means to bow down before a superior or ruler.
God blesses us every day, now we can take a turn blessing Him. And we don’t need to get all dressed up and go to church. In our homes, lying on the couch or resting in bed is an okay place to worship.
Thanksgiving and praise are a big part of it. I find listening to praise and worship music helps me enter more easily into a place of worship. We can thank God for our salvation, for helping us through our illnesses a roof over our head, and food.
We can worship Him because He is the all knowing, ever present, all powerful and mighty God. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We can praise him for his love, faithfulness, peace, mercy, and forgiveness; the list can go on and on.
In the New Testament the word most used for worship is ‘an act of homage, reverence’. The Greek word is ‘proskeuno’, which has a delightful meaning. It means ‘to kiss.’ I picture it as sitting on our Heavenly Father’s lap, adoring and worshipping Him and giving Him a kiss on the cheek.
In worshipping our Lord, our attention is on Him, not on us and our needs. Spending time in worship can also bless us, sometimes with a sense of His presence, sometimes a peace. We do not worship for what we can get out of it, but as a gift we want to give to the Lord.
Prayer: Father we thank, praise and worship you in the beauty of Your holiness. Help us to worship You in Spirit and in Truth.
About the Author:
CarolAnn Adams, who lives in Ohio has had chronic illnesses for most of 15 years. She had been active in many church ministries but is now restricted. So she ministers to others through writing a blog, being part of an on-line prayer team, listens to and encourages others with chronic illnesses.
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This Is Spring
23 Apr 2010 4 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: Attention Deficit Disorder, beth cottrill, change, chronic, depression, difficulties, discouragement, hope, hopekeepers, illness, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, pain, problems, rest ministries, trouble
“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.” (Genesis 8:22)
The snow is receding,
The grass now is showing,
The puddles are rippling,
The breezes are blowing.
The warm sun is glowing,
There are birds on the wing.
Bright flowers are growing;
They all cry, “It’s spring!”
But wait! What is happ’ning?
Cold winds, and snow falling–
The change is appalling–
It’s winter again!
I wrote those lines two years ago, when an unwelcome three-day blizzard hit the prairies of Saskatchewan after some warmer, spring-like conditions. Do they remind you of the reverses we can experience when we live with chronic health problems?
A flare up, some side effects from new medication, a diagnosis that tells us another system of our body is not working right. Or an insensitive reaction when we take the risk of sharing something deep from our heart–such circumstances can quickly move us from a place of relative peace into a tempest.
It happened to me recently. After several days of feeling and coping better, I went through what may have been my worst day of the whole winter (and it’s been spring according to the calendar for a month now.) I suddenly felt totally overwhelmed once again, dissolved in tears, and had to cancel a doctor’s appointment at the last minute. I was in the middle of a dreadful storm. What then? It was impossible to think clearly for awhile, but as I was able, I cried out to God.
What do we know for sure that can give us hope? “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him….Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or [anything else]? ” The answer is a resounding “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:28, 35, 37).
In Genesis, the Lord promises that spring will return. And as in the natural world, so it is in our lives. May He give us grace to say “Amen!” to these certainties.
About the Author:
Beth Cottrill lives with her husband, a “retired” pastor and writer, in rural Saskatchewan, Canada. She suffers with ADD, OCD, depression and some physical conditions, which she considers formidable teachers. They have given her a deep desire to encourage others. She feels close to God out in His wonderful creation and loves being the grandmother of two fabulous youngsters. She loves animals, making cards, scrapbooking as well as playing the piano and singing.
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When You Hope & Are Disappointed, Then What?
22 Apr 2010 14 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: chronic, disappointment, God's love, hope, hopekeepers, illness, Lisa Copen, pain, rest ministries, trust
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” (Romans 5:5)
“Mom, we have too much hope,” my son said, “TOO MUCH HOPE!”
Can you have too much hope? Josh and I were walking through a local discount store when I excitedly discovered a large wooden cut out of the word HOPE. The ‘E’ was a bit loose and there was a scratch, but it would look perfect in my house. This is when my son replied, “We have too much hope!” (And another customer gave us an odd look, not seeing the item I’d picked up.)
When Rest Ministries began HopeKeepers small group years ago I started collecting things that said “Hope.” Even as you walk up to my front door you will see a red metal sign in the window that says “HOPE.” Now, you can’t walk through my house without seeing some form of the word HOPE in a knick knack, a plaque, or just wooden cut out. It’s a nice comforting reminder that there is always hope.
And what is hope? Can we have too much hope? Romans says, “And hope does not disappoint us” but most of us would have to admit that we’ve been disappointed more than a few times in our life when we hoped for something and didn’t get it. Why is that? Because hope is only as strong as what we put our hope into!
If our hope is in materialistic things, decisions made my our medical staff, or our expectations of others, we will be disappointed. Even when we put our hope into God’s plans, we will be disappointed. Our hope must be in God alone and who He is –not what He can do for us– and then we will find that He will pour out His love.
And no, you cannot have too much hope! God wants our hope to “overflow –by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
About the Author:
Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries. She lives in San Diego with her husband and 7-year-old son. Her new book is “How to Start a Chronic Illness Small Group Ministry” has just recently been published and is available at http://www.howtostartachronicillnesssmallgroupministry.com .
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Only With God’s Strength
21 Apr 2010 6 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: anxiety, burdens, chronic, faith, hopekeepers, illness, insomnia, Julie Munro, pain, power, promises, rest ministries, sleeplessness, Spirit, strength
“. . .Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit says The Lord.” (Zechariah 4:6)
My eyes open after my ears some mornings, as the sound of the radio wakes me. Mostly, however, my eyes open to the glow of the alarm clock/radio beside my bed, glaringly reminding me I could have slept a few more hours. It is then the battle to return to sleeping begins.
I live every day with the affects of chronic illness, some days, though, are much worse than others. Just as it was the other morning, I woke to silence and darkness except for the glow of the alarm clock. My mind began its own argument:
Go back to sleep!
I’m trying!
Stop thinking about work! Pray!
What did I need from the grocery store?
Why are you thinking about that now? Ugh, go to sleep!
My battle was lost to wakefulness, so I tossed and turned and every so often glared back at the clock that seemed to race ahead to the time I needed to get up to go to work. As the clock mocked my desire for sleep the radio alarm jolted me from my prayer “O God how am I going to get through another day with so little . . .”
“Not by might, not by poooooowwwweeeeeer, but byyyyyyyyy my spirit says the Loooord”
An angelic voice sang the answer to my prayer.
It is so often the case that we have so many ‘How’s’, ‘Why’s’, ‘What Ifs’ and ‘Cannots’ yet God’s answer is “Give it to Me, My Spirit is the answer. I will do it for you and through you”.
Your might may have gone
Your power may have fled
But Gods power is always right there
By His Spirit you’ll be lead.
Trust Him every day to
Carry you all the way through.
Your burdens He will carry
His promises are true.
About the Author:
Julie Munro lives in New Zealand and is mother to a wonderful daughter who is pursuing a career in Radio. Julie lives with “invisible illnesses” that God is using to teach her lessons she many never have learned.
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