Facing a new diagnosis of a chronic illness is not pleasant. I have decided that learning from each challenge in my life is the only way to stop repeating errors and to follow God’s plan.
To recap, a flu-like illness in early December resulted in a health event and subsequent damage and organ compromise. I take medication now to compensate for the compromise until the organ heals. This happened to my mother when she was a little older than I am now; she healed and was able to control her problem with diet alone. I expect and believe the same will happen for me, although my injury was more serious than hers.
In the course of this lifestyle change, I realize I must submit to appropriate authority. My primary care physician is particularly knowledgeable in this area; he has a similar, more permanent condition. I realize I need to run all significant changes in my supplement intake and diet by him before instituting them. He’s very happy with my progress to date; he also believes it’s possible for me to heal. I appreciate that he wants to document what’s going on with regular blood work as well as review of my daily numbers. I will see total healing in the numbers by faith.
The progress I’m seeing is tangible; data-driven decision making is a principle I learned from a friend long ago. He taught me how to disengage my feelings from a problem and to look instead at accurate information about how to solve the issue. I appreciate that skill even more with this most recent challenge in my life; emotionalism and unbending stubbornness might mean a long-term problem instead of healing.
God is so faithful in this area for me; every time I need to learn His way, He brings me to the truth patiently. This time He allowed the problem to be discovered without physical pain, something that every healthcare provider I’ve seen can hardly believe in light of the seriousness of lab work that led to a hospital ER visit. It is clear to me from Romans that God prefers to withhold the pain of sin and wrong thinking but rather wants us to yield to His leading and change our minds. He certainly demonstrates His faithfulness to His word for me in this time of ill health and change.
Romans 2:4 Or do you have no regard for the wealth of His kindness and tolerance and patience [in withholding His wrath]? Are you [actually] unaware or ignorant [of the fact] that God’s kindness leads you to repentance [that is, to change your inner self, your old way of thinking—seek His purpose for your life]?
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