In Sickness and ... In More Sickness
Please forgive me for not being here for the past few days. I have been desperately sick, fighting a serious bout with bronchitis. I've been alternating between our bed and sleeping in my living room chair for the better part of a week.
As I've been down and out (literally), reading Scripture has not been at the forefront of my mind. I know that sounds terrible, but it's been a terrible few days. I'm sure you've been there.
But when I opened my Bible and began reading through Psalms this morning, I realized that David had been there, too.
I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. Psalm 38:6-10
I can relate to several of these words in particular: feeble, sore broken, disquietness, groaning, panteth, strength faileth, the light of mine eyes is gone from me. Not only was I fighting one illness, I was actually fighting two. I've had asthma since I was in school, and that makes bronchitis twice as difficult to defeat.
Hold a straw up in front of you. That's your airway. Now squeeze it a little with one hand. That's what bronchitis does, putting ickiness in the way of your breathing. Now squeeze a little more from a different direction with your other hand. That's what having asthma does coupled with bronchitis. The doctor at the clinic yesterday morning told me I had almost no air movement in my lungs. That's why I wasn't able to recover - my lungs couldn't get enough breath.
So I picked up all the normal medications that go along with bronchitis - steroid, antibiotic, cough syrup with codine. And then they added the extra ingredient that made all the difference - a new asthma inhaler! Now I had the tools I needed to fight both illnesses at once.
Not being able to breath - or coughing every time you breathe - is one of the scariest places ever to be. I'm feeling better today, but I can still relate to David's feeble and sore broken body. But every breath I take now is a little better than the one before. That's the miracle of God's healing power.
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Job 33:4
With every breath the Lord chooses to give me, hindered or not, I will continue to praise His holy name.
Are you aware of the breath of God today?
As I've been down and out (literally), reading Scripture has not been at the forefront of my mind. I know that sounds terrible, but it's been a terrible few days. I'm sure you've been there.
But when I opened my Bible and began reading through Psalms this morning, I realized that David had been there, too.
I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. Psalm 38:6-10
I can relate to several of these words in particular: feeble, sore broken, disquietness, groaning, panteth, strength faileth, the light of mine eyes is gone from me. Not only was I fighting one illness, I was actually fighting two. I've had asthma since I was in school, and that makes bronchitis twice as difficult to defeat.
Hold a straw up in front of you. That's your airway. Now squeeze it a little with one hand. That's what bronchitis does, putting ickiness in the way of your breathing. Now squeeze a little more from a different direction with your other hand. That's what having asthma does coupled with bronchitis. The doctor at the clinic yesterday morning told me I had almost no air movement in my lungs. That's why I wasn't able to recover - my lungs couldn't get enough breath.
So I picked up all the normal medications that go along with bronchitis - steroid, antibiotic, cough syrup with codine. And then they added the extra ingredient that made all the difference - a new asthma inhaler! Now I had the tools I needed to fight both illnesses at once.
Not being able to breath - or coughing every time you breathe - is one of the scariest places ever to be. I'm feeling better today, but I can still relate to David's feeble and sore broken body. But every breath I take now is a little better than the one before. That's the miracle of God's healing power.
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Job 33:4
With every breath the Lord chooses to give me, hindered or not, I will continue to praise His holy name.
Are you aware of the breath of God today?
Laura-I have put you down in my prayer book to pray for your recovery.
ReplyDeleteI have to use inhalers when visiting in the Central Valley of Calif and I too got bronchitis with it once there. Very scary.
Love your blog. Almost decided to not blog anymore with some negative comments-but glad I got on and saw that God had a reason for me to blog and pray for my blogging friends.
Nina
Thank you so much for the prayer! I know it's working because I'm truly on the mend. I mean it this time.
ReplyDeleteI've learned that it's never about me, comments or numbers when it comes to blogging. God's Word never returns void. We only hinder Him when we give up and don't use every opportunity we have.
May the Lord bless you in an extra special way today for the encouragement that you've been to me.
Have a wonderful day in His love!
Laura