Four Years and Counting

A dear friend and I decided to share scripture first when we spoke over the miles yesterday. This sharing then seeped into the rest of our conversation. She shared some experiences in her first dealings with chronic pain and I realized that my illness has now reached its fourth year. We both said that on the onset of our symptoms we had no inklint that we would be dealing with them so many years later; hers twice as long as mine. God grace has enriched this friendship through those similar experiences.

Some measure of peace and comfort entered our realizations as we spoke of 2 Corinthians 12:9-10,

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.

Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with ____________________________ (fill in the affliction/difficulty) 

for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Oh, God's economy is so different than mine: Weakness = Strength?

It is hard to wrap my lightheaded, fuzzy brain around let alone my stubborn, limp heart, but it is true. He is true.

Wonder how He is counting the length of my illness? Does God's economy look more like Colossians 1:9-12? Oh, I hope that it does because then my chronic fatigue would be God's tool to achieve those things that I long for but ever seem out of my grasp:

knowledge of His will, God-worthy walking, 

pleasing Him, bearing fruit, increasing knowledge of God, 

strengthened with all power, steadfastness, 

joyously giving thanks to the Father. 

I think I will leave the counting up to the Father.