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How God Used Chronic Illness to Equip Me
By Your Friends at the Encouragement Café
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT
When I was seventeen, I became bedridden. I saw the best doctors at some of the nation’s leading hospitals, but I still remained sick. In the months that followed, I wondered what I would do. College was obviously not an option in the near future nor was working a job.
If I couldn’t have a normal life, what could I do?
Writing was the one thing that I could do, even lying down. I could write devotionals, notes, and even websites, so I started. Though my health was still bad, I would write short blog posts, encouraging words to friends, and even the start of my book.
The more I wrote, the more it became clear. My life wasn’t about me. My illness didn’t just make my faith stronger, it made my voice stronger, too. It sparked a desire to help teens and women connect with Jesus.
In a weird way, my illness actually equipped me with the courage and the confidence to point others toward Jesus.
Later after months of searching, my mom found a doctor that was able to help me a little bit. I’m still sick. I struggle with doing everyday things that most people take for granted. Things like standing in line at the grocery store, jogging down the street to check the mail, and even signing my own name on a document.
God often uses the hard things we go through to show us how we can minister to others.
Maybe God is using your experience with illness to equip you to be a strong patient advocate. Maybe God is using your divorce to equip you with a passion for single moms.
Whatever you’re facing, you can be sure that God is working things out for His glory and your good.
Ask God to show you how you can use one of your experiences to reach out to someone else this week.
Dear God, Sometimes I’m so caught up in my life that I forget that there’s a world that needs You. Help me to use even the icky experiences to shine for You. Thank You for always working everything out for Your glory and my good, even when things don’t feel very good at the moment. I love You, Papa. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2016 by The Encouragement Cafe. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Tuesday, 25 October 2016.
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