His Righteousness

Dear friend,

Have you ever had an ailment that caused you to be depressed, out of sorts, focusing only on the pain and aggravation? When you are going through these times it’s so important to focus on God and what it was like for Jesus to suffer so much torment and anguish during His crucifiction and dying on the Cross for our sins.

Currently, I am dealing with degenerative disc one in particular is causing irritation of a spinal nerve/sciatica down my left leg. Figuratively speaking, if you could imagine stepping on a very sharpe, hot barbed wired blade and having it penetrate through your foot and lodge itself up in to your shin and remain there for what feels like an eternity. I felt this excruciating pain while standing, sitting, even laying down. Some relief came when my doctor prescribed muscle relaxers and pain meds but after a few days even these were not giving me much relief so I was sent to a pain specialist who set me up with a procedure that has given me 80% relief from the pain. I am able to stand, walk, sit and sleep so much better and I thank God for such procedures and those that administer them.

What really got me through was offering it up my pain to God. I thought about Jesus going through the kind of suffering He endured for my sins on Good Friday and then dying on the Cross, I humbly thanked Him; asking Him for His mercy and to help me endure my pain and my suffering.

While Jesus suffered on Good Friday and on His walk to Calvary, He was not given pain meds; He did not have a doctor or a pain specialist to care for Him. He only asks that we follow Him, love him, love our neighbor and to seek His righteousness.

Knowing how much Jesus loves me, I will trust in Him no matter what I am faced with and whatever pain and suffering I endure in this life will not measure up to the joy and happiness I will experience in the next.

Life can be overwhelming but we need to remember to keep God in our life and to offer up our suffering to Him. Remember to turn to the Bible. The Psalm’s in particular, offer prayers that speak to you and your heart; prayers that were offered up to God in the sincerest form of humility and also with the sincerest praise. God is the One who will help you through whatever suffering or ailment you are going through. So praise Him and trust Him.

Psalm 31: 10-13, 15, 17

⁹ Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
    my eye is wasted from grief,
    my soul and my body also.
¹⁰ For my life is spent with sorrow,
    and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,^[b]
    and my bones waste away.

¹¹ I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
    a horror^[c] to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
    those who see me in the street flee from me.
¹² I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
    I have become like a broken vessel.
¹³ Yea, I hear the whispering of many—
    terror on every side!—
as they scheme together against me,
    as they plot to take my life.

¹⁵ My times are in thy hand;
    deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors!

¹⁷ Let me not be put to shame, O Lord,
    for I call on thee….

Prayer:

Dear loving and forgiving God, be with us during our times of struggle and hardship. Life does not promise that all times are easy times but we believe that you are there for us whatever life brings our way. Help us be humble and contrite of heart. We want to praise and glorify your name every day of our lives until we are safe at Home with You.

In your Son’s name, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

May God be with you and may He continue to protect you and yours!

Peace, love and joy in Christ Jesus, our Savior!

Marie Antoinette

ALL LIFE MATTERS – FROM CONCEPTION ON!