“But blessed is
the one who
trusts in the
Lord, whose
confidence is in
Him. They 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
17:7-8)
What about you?
Do you have
confidence and
trust in the
Lord Jesus
Christ? I trust
the Lord. I
trust that my
life’s
directions, my
actions, and my
journey with
Christ are all
part of His
overall plan for
me. I believe
God made me who
I am: My body,
my intellect, my
attitude, my
weird sense of
humor, my heart
for Him, and my
love for people.
I believe that
God is using me
in unique ways
to relate to
people─to
introduce them
to Christ and to
remind those who
are lukewarm
that God is love
and they need to
heat up for Him.
I was in great
health until I
was pumped full
of all sorts of
vaccinations
from the Army,
after which my
health turned
downward. (My
own conspiracy
theory is the
vaccinations
caused negative
reactions in my
body. I’ve met
many other
soldiers with
similar health
problems after
they took the
same
vaccinations.)
Considering all
my ailments and
other health
problems some
people mock me
for my faith.
They say, “Why
would a loving
God allow one of
His children
(me) to have all
these problems?”
Why would I
believe in a God
that would
“punish” me with
a lot of health
problems that
affect me every
day with pain,
discomfort,
mental problems,
and much more? I
just laugh to
myself, and say,
“God made me to
be me to use me
for His
purpose.” My
ailments make me
stronger in
faith and allow
me to have a
unique
perspective so I
can relate to
others who have
similar
problems. I can
confidently say
to them that,
“Yes, there is a
loving God and
regardless of
health problems,
He is still real
and working in
my and your
life.”
I shouldn't
complain about
my ailments
because as
Romans 9:20-21
says:
“But
who are you, a
human being, to
talk back to
God? “Shall what
is formed say to
the one who
formed it, ‘Why
did you make me
like this?”
Does not
the potter have
the right to
make out of the
same lump of
clay some
pottery for
special purposes
and some for
common use?”
I don’t question
God about my
ailments but
thank Him that
they allow me to
be closer to Him
and to interact
with others who
suffer; to
provide
encouragement
and comfort, and
that even though
we have health
problems, God is
still love,
loves us and He
wants us with
Him in eternity
(heaven).
When I get
discouraged from
my ailments I
remind myself of
what is awaiting
me, such as what
John wrote in
14:1-3:
“Let not your
heart be
troubled; you
believe in God,
believe also in
Me. In My
Father’s house
are many
mansions; if it
were not so, I
would have told
you. I go to
prepare a place
for you. And if
I go and prepare
a place for you,
I will come
again and
receive you to
Myself; that
where I am,
there you may be
also.”
God knows me and
works in me
because He
created me.
Through me He
uses me to get
His word of
salvation to
others. I’m
always looking
up because I
know He is
preparing a home
for me. He is
for you, too, if
you believe
Christ is your
Savior and are
born-again (John
3:1-7).
I renew my trust
in the Lord
every day. I
trust that He
brings people
into my life
that I can
influence and
introduce Christ
to. I trust that
He will be with
me in those
moments that I
need Him most,
when my
fibromyalgia
flares, when my
Crohn’s disease
causes me
trouble, when my
meds for my
bipolar stop
working, I trust
that the Lord
works through
the doctors and
my heart to
carry me through
those points of
my life when I
seemingly can’t
bear anything
alone. He
carries me
through those
tough times and
affirms to me
that He is real
and that He
loves me; and
what I can't
handle, I can
give to Him to
help me.
Don’t get me
wrong, I pray
for healing all
the time but
accept at the
same time that
God may not have
complete healing
as part of His
path for me, but
that my problems
can be used for
His good, for
the furtherance
of His kingdom.
When I do pray I
pray not only
for healing but
also for relief
and for strength
to make it
through road
bumps that my
health throws at
me at times. I
would like to
attest right now
that my Crohn’s
has been in
remission for
months. I prayed
for guidance
from Christ to
help alleviate
the pain and
problems
associated with
Crohn’s disease,
and you know
what?
I received
inspiration and
strength to
change my eating
habits and how I
treat my body.
With my bipolar,
I was lead to
the right doctor
that gave me a
medication
cocktail that
has my bipolar
under control
for some time
now. My cornea
disease has
stopped
progressing and
has actually
improved a bit.
My fibromyalgia
is what my speed
bump is right
now but trust
that if not for
prayer, I would
be much worse
off than I am
now. I trust and
believe that
Christ has
played a role in
my health
improvements and
when I do hit
speed bumps in
them, He is
there to help me
through them, to
carry me through
and help me grow
spiritually from
the experiences
with my health.
If you have
health problems,
don’t be
discouraged. He
is there for
you, also. Being
saved and
accepting Christ
may not
completely heal
you, for God has
a purpose for
everyone and
everything that
makes you who
you are. God did
not make a
mistake in
making you as
you are, whether
you are in
perfect health
or like me, have
multiple health
problems. God is
perfect and His
perfect plan
includes me, and
you. Don’t
question the
Potter of why He
made you the way
you are, for the
Potter (God) did
so for a
purpose. That
purpose is to
further the
kingdom of God.
You need to ask
for guidance to
do your purpose.
“But how can I
do that,” you
say? “I have so
many problems
and pain and I
suffer! Why
would God do
this to me?”
I feel sorry for
myself at times
and think these
things when my
problems seem to
get worse, yet I
immediately
remind myself
that Christ has
a plan for me.
You need to do
the same. Christ
has a plan for
you. Your
aliments or
perfect health
is a venue in
which God will
use you to
further His
kingdom. All you
have to do is
listen and
follow while God
leads you. Don’t
let yourself get
yourself down;
let Jesus lift
you up. For
example, I’m
part of many
online support
groups. When
inspired by the
Spirit, I will
write a verse of
support to a
person who is
expressing
concern for
their health
problem or are
complaining
about why would
God do this to
them. I take
these
opportunities to
sneak in a Word
of God to start
a conversation
about how God
can work in
their lives to
make them better
or to bring some
relief.
What can you do?
Do you trust and
have confidence
in how God made
you and how He
can use you?
Maybe you go to
a support group
of some sort or
sit in a room
full of people
getting dialysis
or are friends
with people who
suffer as you
do, or
similarly. What
about when you
interact with
your nurse or
doctor? What a
great
opportunity to
talk about how
God is working
in your life.
Talk about the
blessings, not
the bad from
your ailments.
You may spark a
conversation
that will lead
to the saving
grace of
someone.
Use your
problems to get
closer to
Christ. Trust to
allow Christ to
help you with
your problems.
They don’t even
have to be
health related.
They can be
financial,
relational, work
related, etc.
Use the negative
to turn to the
positive and let
Christ lead you
and be in you in
these moments.
You always have
a choice. You
can sit and
whine and
complain and
feel sorry for
yourself, or you
can trust and
have confidence
in that God made
you the way you
are for His
purpose. You
must find that
purpose by
praying and
asking God how
you can use the
way He made you
to further His
kingdom.
Remember Matthew
7.7:
“Ask and it will
be given to you;
seek and you
will find; knock
and the door
will be opened
to you.”
Don’t use your
problems, health
or otherwise as
an excuse not to
act for Christ,
but use them as
an opportunity
for Christ.
In all your
endeavors, don’t
have fear but
have confidence
in the Lord. He
made you and
brings people
and situations
in your life for
a reason: For
you to bear
fruit for His
kingdom.
Remember the
verse I cited
from Jeremiah
17.7-8:
“But blessed is
the one who
trusts in the
Lord, whose
confidence is in
Him. They 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.”
Be strong and
confident that
your roots are
grounded in His
living water so
when you are
faced with an
opportunity to
relate to
someone with
health or other
problems, you
can give them a
word from the
Lord without
fear or worries.
Remember, you
are nourished
with living
water in the
heat and drought
of worldly
opposition.
May the Lord
work through
your heart as He
made you─to
further His
kingdom and
bring you
blessings upon
you in your
endeavors for:
Christ.
John Lysaught
john_lysaught@yahoo.com