Even in illness, He is with me
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”
2Corinthians 4:7(NIV)
That was the scripture I read the morning I was to check into the hospital in a foreign country. Within one week, my world had turned upside down. Throughout the summer, I had been having leg cramps that were waking me up in the middle of the night. One night I woke up in tears and decided that I\'d had enough.
A doctor ran blood tests and asked, "Has anyone ever diagnosed you as having diabetes?" I was confused. I came to see the doctor because of leg cramps, and she was telling me something about diabetes? She referred me to a specialist, and I was on my way out the door.
I had been in Western Europe, working with refugees for less than a year. Diabetes was definitely not a part of my plans. The morning I went to the hospital, God gave me His sweet peace through 2 Corinthians 4:17. I knew from that moment on, everything would be okay. He reminded me that He created me and that He would take care of me as He always had.
As I look back, I see that God got my attention with the nightly leg cramps; otherwise, I would not have gone to the doctor. He placed me in a country that had good medical care so that all my needs could quickly be met. He was with me as I learned to eat differently and learned to take better care of myself. I am never alone, for He is always with me.
Heavenly Father, when things seem too big for me, remind me that You are Jehovah-Jireh, my provider. You are a faithful God. Thank You for Your grace to accept things that come my way. May missionaries also prove faithful to You and bring glory to Your name during illness. Amen.
Text exerpt from Voices of the Faithful. Order your own copy from the
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