But God gives more grace (James 4:6)

It would be easy to become discouraged! Within the past few days I have received bad health news in a number of different scenarios. A relative of a friend taken hospital with bone cancer; the son of a colleague with MS who had taken a certain treatment with a low risk of a terrible side effect discovering yesterday, that he had that very side effect; a friend with an eating disorder discouraged by learning her statistical chances of full recovery; and in my own life finishing up in emergency yesterday after a prolonged debilitating dizzy spell, and learning that on top of all my other diagnosed ailments I am diagnosed with orthostatic hypotension. Yes it would be easy to become discouraged!

But by the Grace of God I’m not! I don’t pretend to understand all that He allows, but I know that He is in control. I also know that He expects me to war for healing be it my own healing, or the healing of others. And I have been in this war long enough to have won some significant battles along the way. And when I am tempted to be discouraged, I call these victories to mind. To name a couple, I have often said that I would not have survived without Him. And I mean that quite literally, in particular in my mid-50s I was fighting for my life to overcome the generational pattern of early death. In addition, by His grace I overcame an aggressive prostrate cancer. So I am not about to give up now!

I’m not saying I’m not stubborn, but stubbornness alone is not enough, at least it was not enough for me. What I have learned, is that with His help, by His grace whatever does not kill you makes you stronger. It works like this in the kingdom, the things that tend to make you weak are a crossroads. But, and it’s a big big but, His strength working in and through me, is made perfect in my weakness. So when I am weak, I have the potential to be strong, because His grace it is sufficient as I cast myself up on him, upon his mercy and upon his amazing promises (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Father, I thank You for the “buts” of the Bible. A “but” changes everything. And when I am tempted to be discouraged, I need Your “but God…” Because of Your “buts,” the doctors do not have the last word, You do. And armed with Your promises, I choose to storm the gates of heaven this morning with my prayer requests and leave the outcome to You. I give You all the honour, glory and praise in Jesus Name Amen