God wants us to magnify — respect, honor, and esteem Him — always. But wait. Does He expect this at all times? How do we magnify God when our lives are filled with pain or sorrow? I had a conversation with a beautiful, fascinating woman today. I'll call her Sandra. She asked, “When everything is going well — when my husband loves me — my children are loving and serving God — is that when I magnify God?” If magnify means to hold someone in great esteem or respect, are we only asked to magnify God when all is going well in our lives? My friend said we can be so self-absorbed — we need to get beyond this. God used painful lessons to forge this truth into her heart. Sandra felt free — alive and happiest — when she ran. Her identity was wrapped up in running.
One day, running was taken away from her in a heartbeat. Her knee was shattered. After five months in a wheelchair, not knowing if she would ever walk again, my friend stood up and declared, “I WILL WALK!” She did. She walked through the pain — determined the wheelchair wouldn’t hold her. The spunk, determination, and courage of this woman is off the charts. Because of the trauma of her injury, Sandra's body developed CRPS — Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. It is the most excruciating pain known. CRPS makes you feel like you are on fire. If her battered leg hurts, the other leg will mirror the agony. She lives with a constant degree of pain. Oh God, I’m so thankful one day You will remove all pain — it will be gone forever. These are her thoughts.
“We are aliens here. We are passing through and need to see things from a Heavenly perspective.” God has spoken to her heart, “I will restore your health and heal your wounds”. He wants to restore and heal you. The love of God is greater than our pain — mental, physical, or emotional. God loves you. He wants you to wait on Him — to trust and magnify Him. He wants us to run and not be weary — to walk and not faint. This is all possible or God wouldn't have written that to us. "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31
Another dear friend, I'll call him Bill, also suffering from CRPS, said based on Galatians 2:16 "yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law (being Jewish) but by "The FAITHFULNESS OF JESUS CHRIST". So when I feel at my weakest and I'm struggling with pain, I know that the same Messiah that is FAITHFUL to have saved me and bring me into His Kingdom will continue to be FAITHFUL to keep me in spite of my physical frailty. He is my source. I can do my best but my best will still fall short. I lean on the faithfulness of my Messiah."
My conclusion from these two precious people is the love of God is greater than our mental, physical, or emotional pain. He loves you. He wants to restore you. He wants you to wait on Him — to trust Him. He wants you to run and not be weary — to walk and not faint. He is your source and your strength. He is faithful. So fear not — the best is yet to come. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:5 Blessings, Beloved of God.
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