There are so many people sick right now, or we know of someone that is fighting an illness. So many are struggling. The stastics are overwhelming – I don’t even want to listen to the news. When will there be relief in sight?
One way God gets my attention is when I’m sick. I don’t feel like watching TV, seeing old movies, or reading. I just default to laying there feeling sorry for myself, thinking about all I need to be doing – and when can I get back to “normal”?
I’ve had two significant non-COVID health battles this year. I’m back to “normal”now. During the sessions of rotating from the couch to the bed – I noticed it was an internal time for reflection, repentance, and recommitment. My big takeaways have been, and maybe you also can relate:

1) My faith isn’t as strong as I thought it was. It is so easy to read my Bible, belt out worship tunes, pray, and bless those around me – when things are going well and I feel healthy. Some of the biggest issues brought to light were how much I was going to Google with my questions instead of God. Scrolling through Twitter instead of the Scriptures. Piddling around on my phone instead of prioritizing prayer. 

2) There are so many hurting people that need our help right now. It is overwhelming to look at it big picture. It’s very easy to throw up our arms and say “I give up – what difference can I make?” One solution might be to minimize it down to just helping a single person out. A text, an email, a call, a finanial contribution, a socially distant visit, a gift card – such a variety of little things we can do to take the focus off of ourselves and give someone else a tiny sliver of hope. Just start with someone you know is hurting right now. A few days ago I sent a text to a former employee that was about 3 sentences long – and I immediately received a joyful response! It felt like she had been waiting all this time for that message.

3) Prayer is the one of the most amazing, baffling, powerful, and un-figureoutable things we can do. Why do some get prayers get answered immediately the first time? And then other times it has been years with seemingly little or no changes? Why do we pray and things appear to get worse? I don’t know – but we must trust in the fact that God sure does know.

“As high as the heavens are above the earth – so high are my ways and thoughts above yours.” (Isaiah 55: 9)

One of the toughest questions to ask going through sickness, tough times, disappointments and crisises is: “Lord, what are you trying to show me through this?”

God continues to prioritze and personalize that internal growth:

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen in temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Blessings,

Dave 🙂

https://www.amazon.com/author/davidrische