It started as a stomach bug brought on by the food here. I became sick while my team was visiting a ministry contact and had to be taken back with my teammates in a private taxi to avoid the crazy public taxi vans back that would have surely induced more vomiting within minutes. Being sick all night was the easy part as I found out soon enough.
When I woke up the bug was gone from my system. It was, however, replaced by an out of place back. If you know me well, you would know that since high school I have struggled with back problems on and off, and I make consistent visits to my wonderful chiropractor back home. Usually one or two trips there and I am good as new, ready to hit the ground running again (no pun intended). Many times I can call in and the doctor can fit me into his schedule that day.
So what happens when you find yourself in Ethiopia with severe back pain? Well, you wait. You journal. You read the Word. You pray. You pray that the kinks will work themselves out. You pray that God will take it away. Your teammates pray healing over you. They pray over you again. And again. But what happens when God doesn’t provide healing even after a week? Even when the pain comes back with a vengeance when you were sure it was improving, and the action of putting on your jeans or sitting up in bed almost brings tears to your eyes. Even when the pain prevents you from ministry, and you start to feel those emotions of frustration, weakness, and uselessness.
You press on. For this thorn of the flesh of mine, however long it may last, has taught me more than just how inflexible and tight my muscles are. I’ve been learning a great deal about Paul this year and what he’s done for the kingdom of God. Paul was not without trials and struggles. In fact, he faced them time and time again while he was spreading the gospel throughout the Gentile world.
“Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me.
But He said to me ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weaknesses.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power can reside in me. So because of Christ, I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in catastrophes, in persecutions, in pressures, for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthian 12:7-10
The fact of the matter is I am nothing without Christ. If I want to Him to do works in me and through me I need to rely and trust in Him fully, leaving myself behind. My human strength is nothing compared to the mighty hands of God. During a crazy afternoon we met a beautiful women Leila who welcomed us into her office after treating us to lunch. There we worshiped and prayed. During worship I began think on this matter, and was brought to multiple verses in the Word. I’ll leave you all with these verses.
“Listen, Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up. Bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be a symbol on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
-Deuteronomy 6: 4-9
“Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I will not be shaken. My salvation and glory depend on God; my strong rock, my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge”.
-Psalms 62:5-8
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and he will guide you on the right path. Don’t consider yourself to be wise; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. This will be healing for your body and strengthening for your bones”.
-Proverbs 3:5-6
