Recently I watched an online church service and the pastor called forth those who needed prayer for healing. Immediately the altar was flooded with hundreds of people. In faith, I, too, joined that altar. In faith, I stretched my hand toward my computer screen, joining the throng of seekers desperate for healing.
Are you currently enduring a health challenge and extending your hand to God for healing?
During His time on earth, the Lord Jesus’ ministry was marked by healing. For over three years He went about healing not as an afterthought but as a primary activity central to His ministry. Whether healing Jairus’ daughter, the blind man at Bethsaida, or healing the lepers, Jesus shows us His heart of compassion toward those who are ailing. And His Word further demonstrates to us that He has no partiality in that He healed all who were brought to Him:
“And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them.” Matthew 4:23-24 (ESV)
This word serves as a great encouragement to us as we patiently await healing amid our health challenges. While we are waiting, we are building our endurance. Miriam-Webster defines endurance as remaining firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding. While it may not feel good to the flesh to endure, endurance enables you to stand when the winds of life blow.
Currently, I am navigating several diagnoses. Doctors say one of the conditions has no cure. I know firsthand how overwhelming it can be to deal with a chronic debilitating health issue. It can leave you feeling physically and emotionally exhausted and even spiritually weary. The mental strain can cause you to become even more fatigued, creating a vicious pain loop that often feels inescapable. These cycles can shake even the strongest of us to our core. Yet, as believers in Christ, our faith in Him gives us a firm foundation on which to stand, even in the most tumultuous storm.
Ephesians 6:13 spurs us on by saying, "Let us stand having done all to stand."
Here are five keys to find the strength to stand and endure amid health challenges:
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1. Cling to God's Promises
How you feel in your body right now does not override what God has said. So what has God already told you? Yes, you may feel weak right now. You may feel broken, hurt, or frustrated, but I challenge you to remember His promises. Let me remind you of a few of His promises concerning your health:
"You shall serve the Lord your God, and he will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from among you." Exodus 23:25 (ESV)
"Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security." Jeremiah 33:6 (ESV)
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases." Psalm 103:2-3 (ESV)
Speak these promises. Memorize and meditate on these promises. As you immerse yourself in God’s Word concerning healing, you are strengthening your faith even in the midst of suffering. Daily remind yourself of His truth and let that truth be your anchor.
Spend time praying the above verses. Journaling is a practical way to jot down those scriptures and to write out your prayers. Expressing your emotions is vitally important. The Lord invites us to come boldly to the throne of grace so that we find help when we need it (Hebrews 4:16). Additionally, ask God, who is your very present help, to help you trust His plan, even when you don't understand it.
God’s Word is a lifeline when facing any trial, including health challenges. It is full of promises that remind us of the Father’s faithfulness, love, and care for us. And scripture is a powerful tool for strengthening our faith, especially when we’re struggling.
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2. Command Your Soul
The Bible has so much to say about the soul. Many times we see David and other writers of the Psalms lamenting about the condition of their souls. If we are going to have the mental and emotional fortitude to endure our health issues we must take command of our souls. Let us turn our attention to the words in Psalm 45:5-6 (ESV): "Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar."
When you are just “sick and tired” of being sick and tired you must command your soul to praise just as the Psalmist did here. It is not easy to praise or to give thanks when you are in pain or suffering; that's why you have to command your soul. You must command your soul to bless the Lord. You must command your mind to meditate on what is praiseworthy. By doing so, you cling to God’s promises through reading and following His Word, which gives you the spiritual stamina to command your soul. In and of yourself, you may feel too weak to command anything, but by the Spirit, you can do it.
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3. Speak Life
“Owww! I’m always in pain.” That’s what the voice inside my head repeats over and over. It’s like a refrain to a song that doesn’t end. But is that the soundtrack that I want on repeat? While I am currently “feeling” chronic pain, chronic pain is not all that exists in my life. I have the love of family. I have meaningful work. I am blessed.
Life and death are created through speech (Proverbs 18:21). Since speech holds such great power, we must be mindful of both our inner and outer chatter. Our speech should align with God's truth. Will you choose to speak healing or sickness, life or death? One day, I was lamenting to a friend about how I was feeling and she challenged me to check my speech. I told her I was simply stating my present reality that I was in so much pain. She offered another perspective which was yes, you may be in pain, but second by second, your body is healing. Since then I’ve been reminding myself daily that my body is, indeed, healing. Day by day, as my cells are renewing, I am healing. I want to encourage you to say the same: “I am healing!”
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4. Get More Rest
How can you create more space in this season for rest? What can you say no to? Some of the things we have on our plates are good things, but are they necessary in this season? As a wife, mama of six, entrepreneur, and ministry leader, I know the demands of a busy life. But in this season I’ve had to scale back to make room for rest. This involves assessing what’s on my calendar, saying no to things that are not urgent, and releasing the need for control. I’ve also had to ask for help and open myself to receive help. It’s been a humbling journey, to say the least, but doing so has enabled me to enter into God’s rest in ways I never have in my entire life.
And while you’re getting rest, what things can you do to divert your attention away from the pain? Whatever you focus on will be amplified. So if you are harping on the pain and drawing more attention to it, the greater it will feel. It's important to engage in things that divert your attention such as coloring, Bible study, crossword puzzles, or even gentle stretching.
Let me add this, too: you don’t have to be “the strong one.” If you’ve worn that badge of honor in the past, I invite you to lay it down. You don’t have to be everything to everyone. In this current season, God is perfecting all that concerns you (Psalm 138:8), so leave all the extra stuff in His capable hands.
Sometimes our bodies suffer because we’ve taken on too much. Our minds are racing. Our emotions are overstimulated. Our hearts are overwhelmed. Then when health concerns are added to the list, we can reach our tipping point. How fortunate we are that God has promised rest for His people (Hebrews 4:9). I implore you to receive His invitation to rest.
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5. Find Joy in the Current Season
On this journey, we must acknowledge that there may be new physical limitations that we aren’t used to. It is quite humbling to accept that I am unable to do some of the things I used to do. But instead of lamenting over what used to be, I can find joy in my current season.
When facing hardships, locating joy can sometimes be elusive; that’s why you have to seek it out. Ask the Lord to shift your perspective and give you eyes to see afresh. The joy in a child’s smile, the joy you experience from deep gratitude, the joy that comes from achieving a sought-after accomplishment; this type of joy is so transformative it might make you feel like running!
Frustration may endure for a night. Pain may endure for a night. Weeping may endure for a night but rest assured, joy is coming. Joy is coming! Give thanks in all things because joy is coming.
When you embrace joy it doesn’t mean you are denying your pain, but it does mean you’ve chosen to acknowledge God’s goodness in the midst of it. When we focus on the goodness of God, we invite joy into our hearts.
As I close, the Apostle Paul’s words, “Finally my brethren,” are resounding loudly in my heart. I can only imagine the church at Ephesus leaning in with bated breath and clinging to his words as he closes out his letter. With that same posture, I invite you to lean in and let your heart receive this final piece of truth: "After you have suffered a while the Lord will restore you" (1 Peter 5:10).
Your suffering is producing the endurance to weather your current season. And there’s even more. Your endurance amid these health challenges is producing hope—and that’s worth rejoicing.
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Originally published Sunday, 13 October 2024.
