Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge Him. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth. (Hosea 6:3)
I’ve been through some health stuff. Chances are you have too or you are close to someone who has. I won’t pretend that mine is any worse than yours or anyone else’s. We all have crosses.
Helen Keller once said, “Although the world is full of suffering. It is full of overcoming it.” I love the hope we are promised in Romans 8:37.“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” No, we are not going to stand for suffering! No, we are not going to give into it! We will conquer with CHRIST’S HELP!
There is no question. The Lord was the One who got me through my emotional breakdown in 2002. He was the One who got me through my bouts with cancer and multiple surgeries in 2011. He is the One who gets me through every day now with chronic pain. He has helped me, not just to survive, but to overcome one day at a time.
During the most debilitating and discouraging times of my life, I have gathered nuggets of encouragement wherever I could find them. Some from the Bible. Some from websites. Some from my own experience and my talks with the Lord. I am no expert and there have often been times that I could not follow this advice to save my life. I am sharing these notes from my journal simply hoping that it might help one person who is at a low point with their health and who could use some encouragement today.
When you need to, slow down and watch. Let others do for themselves. Take care of you.
Practice acceptance. Healing sometimes takes awhile. What we resist, persists.
Let go and let God, let your family, and let your friends hold you.
Have a beginner’s mind. Learn what you can while you’re in this place. If you can, think of it as a gift.
Live more fully in the present, try to savor each day and appreciate all the little things more.
Find quiet. Feel God’s enveloping embrace in silence. Be still and know that He is God! (Psalm 46:10) Rest and heal.
Just breathe, expelling stress and pain. Feel the sharpness of pain and worry subside as relaxation and calm take their place.
Listen to music and let it carry you away from your pain. Just praise the LORD!!
Lift up your pain whether emotional or physical in prayer and then rest quietly with the comfort that your concerns are being tended to by One greater than yourself, and you do not have to take them back again.
Reflect on God’s nature, renewing your sense of being a part of His creation makes you feel less alone and more grateful for your life among His wonder.
Laugh more. God created it. It can be physically and spiritually healing.
Reach out to others. It always lifts me up when I lift someone else up.
Live in the Light. Combat darkness by bringing on light. Candles or a small lamp can help focus thoughts and bring comfort. Most importantly, remember the Lord is the Light of the World (John 8:12). Cling to Him and His promises to find the light of life again.
Take care of yourself. This will make you feel more in control over your circumstances and your attitude toward getting well. It helps us fight back against our pain.
Seek God. Greater is He that is within you than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4) Read God’s Word. Praise His Name. Pray to Him—even if it just means crying in His direction. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groans we cannot even express (Romans 8:26).
Believe in your own recovery. You will be well again! Never lose hope. It motivates and guides us through frustration into positive actions to make our lives better. With hope in Christ, all things are possible!
Have you been there? Are you there right now? If you can offer others encouragement today, please share in comments below. Thank you for sharing this post with others.
Let’s lift up and pray for the hurting today. Is there is someone God is putting on your heart to send a card to or call today? It might just make all the difference in their holding on to hope.
Dear Lord: I pray for those who are suffering from illness and hopelessness who are reading this post. Please touch them and bring healing to their bodies and encourage their hearts as only You can. We thank You that You have overcome the world and through You we can overcome too. Amen
Oh what a great encouragement this is to all of us. Words of wisdom, especially for us women who often forget that we are NOT Superwoman! Embrace the reality that you are in … God is working in us every second and when we truly embrace the moment, God can and DOES do amazing things!
Thank you, Cathy! I often have to be reminded that our walk is the journey, not some destination that we are trying to get to. God is there with us in our “here and now” always, lifting us up. He also gives us sweet sisters and brothers to encourage us and pray us through. He is so good to meet our needs one day at a time. Sometimes, one second at a time.
Hi Sharon. A friend shared your post with me. I may be facing a health problem. I am having a biopsy tomorrow at 9:00. I have faced many struggles over the years – divorce, an emotional breakdown loss of a child to suicide, and through everything I have grown closer to God. He has made Himself more real to me through everything and I know that He is the one that carried me when I felt like I couldn’t breath – let alone take the next step. I won’t know the results of tomorrows new adventure until Friday morning at 10:00AM, but I do know that whatever it is God has a plan. I want to be willing to walk His plan no matter what and find all those little nuggets of gold that He provides along the way. Most of the best nuggets have been through my (what I thought were trials)but in the end there were blessings to be found! Thank you for sharing and serving our Lord Jesus! Becky Rieble
Hi, Becky: Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful heart with us. I will be praying for you with your biopsy tomorrow. I am so sorry to hear of all the difficulties you have faced. But it is encouraging to hear how you have grown closer to God through the trials. Your faithfulness to follow His plan, no matter how hard, is so inspiring. Thank you!
It is so heartbreaking to hear about the loss of your child, Becky. Our Grace In The Wilderness Ministry has a support group called Grace Girls that meets every other month at Fatz in Easley for dinner. The next should be in May. I will send you a private email to invite you to our private Grace Girls facebook page in case you’d like to be a part of that. It is a faith-based, safe place where moms who are sharing your journey can daily encourage other moms and be encouraged.
May God bless you richly and hold you close in His arms, Becky!