It can be hard to let your light shine when you don’t feel well and aren’t as social. S.L. shares.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house” (Matthew 5:14-15).
I’ve always loved to sing and in going through some of my old music to teach my boys, I was started humming some of my favorites. I used to sing more with my old worship band, but I have less opportunity now. To shine seems to happen frequently with chronic illness: our usual opportunities to shine shrink.
To say learning to live with my fibromyalgia was hard is an understatement. It completely and utterly changed my plans since I am no longer physically able to do what I used to.
We all want to make a difference for God, but I when I got sick I felt like I was useless; like someone put a bowl over my lamp and my life wasn’t doing anything for God anymore.
Ironically, the fibro was something God meant for good. The pain stripped away all my self-importance since I am absolutely dependent on God and in my new-found humility, He is glorified. Any thing, little or big, that people give me credit for is all due to Him and I have been responding with “It’s not me; it’s all God!”
The depth of pain has taught me how He is responsible for anything good that I do; it is God who shines through me.
My illness made me realize that it isn’t just the big things that God wants, but my faithfulness in everything. When we choose to follow Him, especially in pain, He is glorified. Obedience when it is easy is cheap and I’d like to give God my best. He deserves no less.
Though my fibromyalgia was a huge loss for me, but I know it was a gain for God. He used it to move me right where He wanted me. There is no place that I would rather be.
Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to understand what it means to shine for You even when it isn’t how we thought we would and give us the strength to be faithful and obey in all things. We want to glorify You in our weakness and give You the credit so that others might know you too. Thank you so much for Your desire to use us where You’ve placed us. Amen.
About the author:
S.L. Payne lives in North Carolina with her husband, three biological sons and foster daughter. She has had fibromyalgia since she was a little girl, but it thankful for God’s faithfulness. She loves writing, photography and laughing with her family. Her blog is The Proverbs 31 Project at adventuresofaneverydaygirl.blogspot.com where she hopes she can encourage others.
How can we let our lights shine for Christ where He has placed us through our illness: are there any small ways that we have been overlooking?
I believe you will like this video, the official video for “Shine” with Christa Wells. When you feel like you are no longer shining or that you only add up to your mistakes or weaknesses, remember how we all shine differently, God gave us a wide range of colors that reflect Him. I think this will bless you and that you will be able to relate to the lyrics–and even smile at the ending of this video. Hugs. -Lisa
S.L. so enjoyed the candid and honestly of your devotional. Esp how God has revealed though your illness His strength and power. “its not me its God” is an amazing testimony to your love and desire to glorify Him in all that He now allows you to do. Like you and im sure many of us, chronic illness has changed our lives immensely, and though we each have been moved to a new lifestyle, it is I think true for most of us, like you we too want that life to be as it is, drawing ever closer to our Lord, being a reflection of His light in every small and big way He grants us. Thank you for sharing this part of your journey. It is so encouraging. God bless. Diane
S.L. Thanks for sharing this important reality with us. It often comes up in our comments and devotionals about how much our lives have been changed with the onset of illnesses and challenges. What once was an easy task or talent to share, now takes more energy that we have.
The reality as I have experienced it is that before my chronic condition and now being called upon to be at home and alone most of the time, God was shining brightly. I gave Him credit for the accomplishments and the joys. Now I am more aware that ONLY He is the one shining if there is any “shining going on”!!
And He is the first one to whom we need to be shining back as we are in relationship with Him. It is our perspective that gets turned around – or needs to turn around. If we touch another’s life, that is a bonus. First He wants us to touch Him with our lives and any “more” is a bonus for which we now can be most grateful.
Your devotional shines! Thanks for sharing it with us!
Love, Lynn
” takes more energy THAN we have” –
Thank you so much, Diane and Lynn 🙂 I’m so glad that God can encourage you with my story; like I said, I feel like this is all Him. Like you said, Lynn, any shining going on is due to God. Chronic illness makes it abundantly clear that it is all Him although this is the case for everyone. In a strange sort of way, I’m really thankful for my fibro since it definitely has changed my perspective in a good way and made me realize how dependent I need to be on Him. I hope that you are having a wonderful day!
Agape,
S.L.
Thank you so much for this beautiful devotional S.L.! It so blessed me and I can so relate to your story pretty much to a T. I too have had fibromyalgia and CFS among many other health problems from a young age (I am currently 19 but have had Fibro and CFS etc for years now) And I too have felt very much useless for God ever since because its hard to imagine how we can shine when just getting through the day can be a major victory with chronic pain and illness. But like you said it’s the very reason that we do shine because all pretense and pride and self reliance is stripped away that blocks the light and keeps God from getting the glory. With it all removed we then shine brighter because it is so apparently “All God and Not Us” as you all have expressed. Which it’s all Him and His glory anyway so I’m also thankful for my illness and pain because it’s taught me to rely on God for everything big and small and brought me closer to Him and hopefully brings Him even more much deserved glory! I pray others see His strength in my weakness and that He shines brightly through me in all things. Anyway I pray you are blessed and as good as possible and please keep writing! This was great. Thanks again! 🙂 God bless you, ~ Amber
What a beautiful, honest & humble devotional S.L. Thanks. 🙂
This devotional shone with God’s love & your beautiful faith. Special!
Praise God that the credit does all go back to Him when illnesses make it clear that it’s not possible to manage things without the Lord & His power. “It’s not me; it’s all God!” What a special witness & testimony that is. God bless. Lotsoluv Kerryn
Lynn, I chuckled when I saw you (the teacher) correcting your spelling. 😉 I actually didn’t even notice the mistake till I read your second post.
Your comment reminded me of something I read in one of Joni’s Eareckson Tada’s books. She was speaking of people like you who live alone with their suffering and feel like there’s no one there to notice whether you have a godly attitude or make the best of their situation. Joni pointed out that, not only is God aware, but also the angels. When they see someone who is still trusting Him and seeking to obey Him, they praise God for what He’s doing in that person’s life. And we’re here to glorify God right?
I pray you’ll sense God’s presence in a special way, perhaps even tonight.
Luv ya!
Beth
lol Beth – I would have left that typo alone except it totally left the wrong message in the context of the sentence! I guess I wanted to “let my light shine” by correcting it! Believe me, there are plenty of typos I never catch!
Hmmm – well, I hope I can give the angels somethings to rejoice about before the Lord. That is one interesting thought from our beloved Joni! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Love, L.
S.L., your light shines in this devotional. Thank you for sharing this testimony.
I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression for decades before a psychiatrist finally tested me for attention deficit disorder. I’m assuming I’ve always had it but I still, by God’s grace, graduated from high school and had 7 years of post-secondary education. I trained as an R.N. and then spent 4 years in Bible college.
I was limited in how much I could work as a nurse and have struggled as a pastor’s wife to minister in the ways I would like. I certainly know what it’s like to feel like I’m not doing much for God.
However, like you, I have found great meaning in my health issues and am quite sure that otherwise I’d not have had nearly as much compassion for others who live with pain.
There are times when I feel totally dependent on the Lord, but I still try to solve my problems in my own strength. I’ve been praying for less self-centredness and more humility. I believe that humility is a beautiful and underrated virtue!
By the way, I use to sing solos and in groups a lot too and I miss that. I don’t know if it’s my deteriorating physical strength, the stroke I had about 13 years ago or just lack of exercising my vocal chords, but my voice is sure not what it used to be.
Blessings,
Beth