Paul, a well-known apostle of Jesus, once talked about the “thorn in his flesh,” the one thing that kept him reliant on the Lord. Although he never reveals to his readers what this metaphorical thorn was, we can certainly learn from his struggle and surrender.
Asking the Lord three times to remove this particular “thorn,” God never did. I wonder why.
I have many struggles that are hard, if not impossible to overcome. Some are emotional while others are physical…my food allergies!
In the recent weeks, I think I have developed an intolerance to dairy. The last two nights, you could find me either curled up on the floor or on my bed gasping from intense stomach cramps. The first night I think I got only 2 hours of sleep because of the pain.
At first, I felt self-pity….”Why me!?!?” “Really? One more thing to add to my list of 10 food allergies?!?!” “Why now, Lord?!”
This is the conversation occurred in my head as my husband rushed out to find some type of medical relief….I am now VERY thankful for the creators of Lactaid! J
Yet last night, day two of the stomach cramps, as a laid frustrated and restless in bed, the Lord revealed to me Paul’s story mentioned above. Just like Paul, God has “gifted” me with my food allergies (and now dairy intolerance) as a means to press more into Him and to draw me closer to Himself. Could it be that the Lord is saving me from something that I cannot see? Is he protecting me from something that could/would happen if I did not have these “presents?”
I believe that God works all things together for good…even food allergies and dairy intolerances! Whether these things came on simply because we live in a fallen world or because my body chemistry has changed, the reason does not matter. God uses all creation to testify about His glory.
It is easy to see allergies, lost jobs, sick kids, or any other obstacle as a pure burden. I have only found grief, frustration, and anger when I look at things like these as burdens. Instead, I am trying to see them as gifts, as presents, as God protecting me from something bigger…from something I cannot see.
What has God brought into your life that on the surface looks like a burden, but is actually a blessing?
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