Romans 8:18 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us."
Today's blog is going to be a little different. I'm going to talk about one of my current challenges with my disease, CMT, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. I'm not going back to the beginning of my diagnosis with it in this blog, but just talk about my swallowing struggles at this time. I'm not looking for sympathy, sorrow, or a pity party but just a sense of understanding of what it's like.
Dysphagia is the term for difficulty with swallowing. Mine began with just eliminating foods that caused me to choke easily with. It progressed to having to lay down off the end of the bed and cough upside down to help me get food up that was causing me to choke. A lot of my pneumonia cases were due to aspiration during the time I worked. After retiring at some point, I was prescribed a cough assist machine that has literally been a life saver and cut my pneumonia cases way down. Later, I got a feeding tube to help me take medicines and help increase my caloric intake.
Because my disease is progressive, I now no longer eat by mouth. I am having my doctor check on a medicine, riluzole, that helps ALS patients with swallowing. The medicine provides a little hope, but that's not where my true hope lies. James 4:7 says "Submit to God." There is comfort in knowing that God is working all things for my good, because I love Him.
From Rick Warren's book, "The Purpose Driven Life", the heart of worship is surrender. I want to lead and live a life surrendered to God. I want to say, 'If my illness of CMT, and all of its detrimental problems that go with it, are needed to fulfill your purpose in my life and bring you glory, then don't take it away.' I quit praying a long time ago for God to send a cure for CMT for me, instead I've prayed for God to give me strength and endurance for whatever I have to go through with CMT.
The Bible tells of the certain benefits of a life that's truly surrendered to God. First, I have experienced peace. I have found this true in wearing my braces and my face mask. I didn't really find it hard to accept in wearing either of them, they were just needed blessings. Second, I have found freedom. While living under God's commands, I have found a freedom from sin's prison walls. Thirdly, I've experienced God's power in my life. I truly believe that I've found favor with God and He has provided me with the best doctors at just the right times.
I can tell you that life without the pleasure of eating by mouth is not easy. I notice people talking about food, restaurants and how good different foods taste more and more. I still go to the grocery store and buy food for others and it's more temptation aisles, rather than grocery aisles to me anymore. I know that all of my struggles are only temporary and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. "Praise God from whom all blessings flow." We must remember that whatever we go through, that it is temporary and this world is not our home. We are just passing through and life is just our practice ground.
I can relate to Paul's message in Philippians 4:10-13 "But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
Romans 8:35-39 "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,
“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Ten Insights on Sovereignty and Suffering [desiringgod.com]
1. Embracing the sovereignty of God brings strength and hope.
2. Don’t presume to know better than God how to run the world. It is pride.
