➔ John 13:34 -35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have
loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that
you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
➔ Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together
in unity!”
➔ 1 Peter 4:8 -11 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over
a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as
faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks,
they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone
serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things
God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power
forever and ever. Amen.”
➔ Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 “Two are better than one, because they have a good
return for their labor:10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other
up.But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie
down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of
three strands is not quickly broken.”
➔ James 1: 2-4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you
face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith
produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
Your greatest insecurity of struggling with sin can also be your greatest blessing, the blessing to connect with others and foster a community with people just like you.
Read that again. Now that you have digested that now it’s your duty to exercise this into your faith and discipleship. My cognitive and physical disability ( aside from my other battles, double homicide) is something I’m reminded of every day, because of myself, the comments from others, and the constant need to accommodate myself because society isn’t accessible to others like me. Then, praying it away and imposter syndrome is creeping because of my inability to accept my circumstances of “I don’t deserve support because I’m healed” and “I’m a fake disabled person because maybe I’m not sick because I don’t look it,” despite multiple diagnoses. Why because others think so? Who cares what others think or do? We can’t hide from them forever, no matter how much we want to. In our struggles is common to feel shame, guilt, fear, pity, and loneliness. These things are not from or of God. Suffering allows us to isolate even when God calls us out of it. We find comfort away from people because it’s safe, and we won’t have to acknowledge our struggles. Even if others reach out, we would rather swallow it instead, hoping it’ll go away on its own. We were made for community. This can be the same for your greatest struggle, hiding behind it, ignoring your emotions, not speaking about it, hoping others don’t mention it, doesn’t make the struggle any less, or vanishing it altogether. Accept it, work with it, and not against it. Then, instead of being a slave to it, in suffering, make it serve you.
This is where community comes in, where your struggle serves you so you can serve others. Suffering can be the most humbling and lonely experience, but we have God and the ability to have/ create spaces that uplift us. What we’re meant to do, receive God’s love and spread the good news to others in whatever unique way God allows or gives to you. Sometimes you might think it’ll be or look grand serving others, but even Jesus came to serve, not to be served. Jesus was born in a lowly place, in a manger.
You and the community you create are something God has already put in you. One of those is your struggles; pain gives us purpose to understand, connect, and empathize with others.
The most humbling and beautiful experience that can come from our burdens is initially the blessing of having one…
XOXO,
THE SICK HEALER