“I would like to give you this verse: Metthew 11:28 ‘Jesus say come to me all of you who are tired, I will give you rest. from Olwethu. I wish to know your birthday.”
For the past three days, I have been suffering from a fever/cold and lots of diarrhea. I dealt with the same sickness just two weeks ago. Honestly, I was annoyed. It’s our last two weeks of ministry here in Swaziland, but really our last six days since we are only going two days this week. I physically did not want to go to ministry yesterday, but I mentally knew that I had to. It was 102 degrees yesterday and I had a fever. My prayer on the bus ride to ministry was “Lord give me strength to endure and in my spirit of needing rest, show me who you want me to love today because of that”.
It was a struggle to have a good attitude. I was HOT and miserable. I laid my head down for thirty minutes because it physically felt like I couldn’t do anything else. Even in my miserableness, He totally answered my prayer. I sat with three girls at our carepoint who I wouldn’t have just sat with if I wasn’t sick. These girls don’t speak english, so we just sat together. Even though it seemed pointless in my flesh, they were so full of joy in their spirit. I talked to them about myself, life and God. They smiled the whole time and just loved my company.
I took some a lot of medicine and slept for eleven hours.
Today, I woke up feeling much better than yesterday. No fever for this girl, which means I can go to ministry. Still just dealing with a cold. I was still bothered and confused as to why I’m sick AGAIN. Usually when there’s sickness, at least three people on the squad are dealing with the same thing, but it is just me sick right now. At the beginning of the week, I was so excited and motivated to do a lot of different things that I physically can not do now. I was also just annoyed that this silly sickness was putting me in such a weird/bad mood.
Then my friend Olwethu gave me a note. My spirit was struck as I read the verse he wrote: “Dear My Best Friend, Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 ESV). God used a twelve year old boy from Swaziland to remind me that I can and need to rest in Him. It is okay to be tired, overwhelmed and low in spirit. But, that needs to be met with rest from the Lord. He desires to give me rest and He desires to be glorified in my suffering.
Okay God, I get it. I was tired. I was overwhelmed. I was struggling to be present. I was letting myself focus on things other than You for a couple days. You refrained me from doing the extra things I wanted to in order to spend more time with You. You allowed this time of more sickness in order for me to once again rest and focus my attention on You.
