Make It Stop!

I have spent 20 + years of my life dealing with and battling migraines. They have been mild and extreme. My husband and I have traveled to four different hospital systems looking for answers, for some relief from the pain, so I could get back to some semblance of the life I had before. I have lost time with my husband and children, missed school and sporting events, missed other family events, missed church; well, missed out on life in general. At times I have been able to push through and other times I have laid in bed for days in agony. I have sobbed while my husband rubbed my head and prayed over me. I have sobbed on the phone to my doctor begging for relief but they had given me everything that they dare to give me at that point. The pain has been so unbearable at times, I begged God to just let me die. I have had different testing and been on so many different medications that I am sure that they contributed to the ulcer that I have. There are very few days when I am completely pain free, there is usually a form of pain or discomfort in my body from either the migraine or the effects of the medication I take.
MAKE IT STOP! Is something that I have cried many times!
I am sure if you were the one writing this, you would have a similar story to share, a season of pain that you have struggled with. Something physical or emotional that has threatened to destroy you, something that has taken every ounce of your energy to fight through. Maybe, like me, you ran out of fight and you cried out to God to MAKE IT STOP! Maybe you are in one of these seasons now and you don’t know how you are going to put one foot in front of the other just to make it through another day, another hour, or even the next minute.
You Are Not Alone
Let me tell you, you are not alone in your pain or your struggle. We have many examples in the Bible of people who have suffered with an ailment a chose to trust in God for their source of comfort. There is a popular verse in the Bible.
And we know that in all things God works to the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28
Paul wrote this, and he knew what suffering was. In 2 Corinthians 11 he describes the struggles he went through;
· …I have been put in prison more often,
· been whipped times without number,
· and faced death again and again.
· Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.
· Three times I was beaten with rods.
· Once I was stoned.
· Three times I was shipwrecked.
· Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.
· And the list goes on
But he also said,
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7
Keep The Faith
I have learned over the past few years, just to keep running the race, treasure the days that I am pain free and to push through the others to serve God and my family. I can honestly say, that there are still days when I am tired of the pain and I question what God’s purpose in all of it is, but I can also say that I now have more days of trusting God than questioning Him. I lean on Him for my source of comfort. I have also learned to reach out to my friends and ask them for prayer, this is not a sign of weakness but the Bible tells us ‘for where two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in the midst of them.’
Let’s commit to submitting to God’s plan for our lives, even through the midst of the pain we may be facing, physical or emotional, knowing what God has is store for us is better than we can imagine. So reach out to God today, trusting that He is working everything for our good.
~ Jenn
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