“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.” (James 1:3)
About a year and a half ago I was stricken with a new malady. For about six weeks I suffered terribly from arthritis. I could hardly get up from the couch because my knees hurt so badly, and each morning was a terrible challenge just to get out of bed.
My hands and feet, my elbows and knees–they suffered from terrible joint pain and swelling. My family doctor told me I needed to go to a specialist. I’d read that those suffering from Crohn’s disease also often suffered from arthritis.
I felt like I was in an impossible situation. My chronic fatigue syndrome was a daily challenge, and my Crohn’s disease had steadily gotten worse. I had a long talk with the Lord. The short of it was that I felt there was far too much already on my plate to add arthritis into the mix.
Evidently, the Lord agreed with me, because just before I was to go to the specialist, my arthritis disappeared as quickly as it had come. I was both shocked and incredibly relieved, as well as immensely grateful to God for delivering me from this terrible affliction.
I have said that God does not allow more to come our way than we can bear, and my experience has proven this. For you see, God knew that in the next year I would become deathly ill from the Crohn’s disease, and having arthritis on top of that would indeed have been too much for me.
Why didn’t He heal me of all my illnesses? Or why doesn’t He heal others of their illnesses? I honestly don’t know. What I do know is that God will not let more come our way than we can endure. His grace is always with us in affliction. And He sometimes delivers us out of affliction.
Prayer: Dear Lord, whether You deliver us in, or out of affliction, all praise be to Your Holy Name! Amen.
About The Author:
Karlton Douglas lives in Ohio with his lovely wife. He has found the Lord kind and gracious through many afflictions and trials.
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Has God ever healed you of one illness, and yet left you with another? Or perhaps healed you of side effects or painful symptoms? Tell us your story.
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