”Have I not comm&ed you? Be strong & courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for The LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.'” (Joshua 1:9).
Face it. . .living with chronic illness/pain is darn right difficult. For some of us, whose illness is invisible, it is even more discouraging. To look at me, I look perfectly normal, the picture of health. No one would ever know that I struggle with a weak heart muscle. If I park in the h&icapped parking area, I am sure to place my h&icapped placard on my car. Sometimes people stare at me. While shopping, I have had my share of panic attacks, feeling claustrophobic with others surrounding me, my heart races, my body goes into fight or flight mode & I just want to flee & get into the comfort of my car.
Other times, I am so depressed that I cannot function properly. I ask God, What’s the point? This emotional pain I live with having bipolar disorder & the mood swings overwhelms me at times. I feel like giving up, but when I do, my faith takes over. I make an appointment with my pastor, I phone a close friend, I bring up my struggles with my psychiatrist. Medications are added or adjusted. Yes, it is very easy to get discouraged & feel the need to just give it all up.
It is so imperative that during these times, we remember God’s comm& to us. “‘Be strong & courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.'” (Joshua 1:9) Cry out to God & hear His words, “‘Return to Me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘& I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty. (Zechariah 1:3) God will meet you right where you are. Never give up or feel for the moment that God does not love you. You are His child, created in His image & God loves you very much. Hold onto that promise! God is the God of second chances, time & time again.
Let your prayer be: “‘Create in me a pure heart, O God, & renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation & grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.'” (Psalm 51:10-12)
May God be with you always.
About the Author:
Kay DeCarlo, devotion coordinator for Rest Ministries lives with her husb&, Joe & two sweet furry dog children in southern New Engl&. Kay struggles with Bipolar Disorder, type 2 insulin dependent Diabetes, & Dilated Cardiomyopathy, (a form of congestive heart failure). As a survivor of Hodgkin’s Disease at age 24-26 & Congesitve Heart Failure with blood clots in her lungs at 37, Kay has never lost sight that God is only a prayer away. She longs to share the message of God’s healing love to all.
