"ILLNESS: Do not Own it; It's not yours!"
How many times have you heard someone say, "my cancer," "my asthma," "my diabetes," my arthritis?" They say it without thinking and claim it as being their part and parcel.
My question is: "WHY would you want to OWN the disease? Why would you claim it as your own? Why not see it for what it is, an attack upon your body, your person?"
Although it is hard, I think it would be well to distance ourselves from the affront to our bodies, in essence to detach ourselves from what we, as Christians believe, is NOT from God. There is a way to separate the spiritual from the physical, to elevate the mind to the things of God, even while in the throes of illness and pain.
Disease is dis-ease. Many are the dis-eases besetting our bodies. In addition to those mentioned in first paragraph, we see dystrophies, depressions, chronic emphysemas, Chronic Pulmonary Diseases, Lupus, Fibromyalgias and many others, perhaps hundreds more, and yet they do not make up who we really are.
You may say, I can talk or preach, because I don't know serious illness and physical pain. While that may be true, my gut tells me there is more to the human spirit and soul than that to which we give ourselves due credit.
One way with which we can attempt to cope is to turn it over to God. We have heard it said time and again, "Let go and let God." Prayer is a way to help us let go by leaving the pain and illness at the foot of the Cross.
One example, which sounds rather puny, is when I am in the throes of a severe headache, I think of the thorns that were thrust into the beautiful head of our Lord, Jesus, and somehow the headache does not feel quite so badly. In doing that, the headache becomes a prayer, a prayer in unison with the sufferings of Jesus. It draws me closer to Him and into His wounds. It helps me to become compassionate of His own and others' pain.
If we have a cancer, we want it cut out, removed. We do not want it. It is not ours. We do everything we can to shrink it and have it removed. If we claim the cancer, we embrace it. It is not who we are. It is not ours. My husband had cancer of his right lower eyelid. He chose to have surgery; he needed reconstructive as well and he is free of cancer. I had skin cancer removed and I am free of cancer. Neither one of us claimed it as "my/our cancer."
The reason I bring up the idea of "illness, do not own it; it's not yours," is to offer suggestions in coping with whatever it is you may be suffering. If it is depression, try to separate the state of depression from who you really are. You are God's child and He wants ALL GOOD to be yours and anything negative is not of God. Therefore, it is my belief, that negativity can come from only one source, and that would be the evil one who wants only to cause you grief and distance you from God.
The evil one, satan, wants to put a wedge between us and God. He wants to divide us within ourselves. He wants to keep us from our Father God, from our Brother Jesus, and from the Holy Spirit. The evil one wants a great chasm to divide us from our Father. It is not worth it to permit this to occur.
Where the Blood of Jesus is poured, satan dare not enter. We are Blood-bought Christians washed in the Blood of Jesus, and girded in the Armor of Christ. Watch while satan cowers slithers and withers all the way to the dregs of hell. Banish him, O people of God. Rebuke the enemy and show allegiance to God, our Creator, Creator of ALL that is good, right and holy.
You are unique. There is no one like you. Only you are you. When you were born a fresh slate was offered to you, the gift of your very life to do with as you willed when you reached the age of reason. Would that every baby was given a fair chance by his or her parent/parents. We know, all too well, that some babies are aborted, and are and were given no chance for an earthly life, which was a gift given by the Creator and Author of all life. How many millions upon millions were denied the right to life! How many so-called doctors, who have taken the Hippocratic oath to “do no harm,” and have no remorse, will one day meet their own fate through the Justice of God. If, however, everyone involved in these instances, sincerely confessed and repented to the Lord, Jesus, and do these things no more, they can have the chance to enjoy eternal life in heaven.
We are made in the image and likeness of God. How is it some debase themselves and distance themselves from this fact? It is satan who fills their susceptible minds, hearts, souls and spirits with garbage. Satan entices people to do things unworthy of their heritage, that of being children of the King. Satan is cunning and makes all that is evil look good, smell good, and taste good. Addictions make the sly one giggle and chortle with delight. The more we fall into sin, the happier he is. The more we frequent places that entice us to do evil, the deeper into the pit we fall, and the mortal danger is we become helpless to do anything about it. The downward spiral makes us sick to death.
Praying Christians, praying mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends and acquaintances can be the impetus in our coming to grips with our addictions, our sins against God and man, enough so we may see the error of our ways. If Salvation is ours, we need to make it right with Jesus and not do those things again. Granted sometimes we may fall again but we must try and try again. The human spirit is a gift from God, who made us, each one of us precious in His sight. Realizing this will help us to improve and become more and more an image of Himself.
Let’s remember, we do not OWN addictions even if they occur because we have abused a substance, whatever that substance may be. We have permitted them to invade our bodies. Some of us are more susceptible than others. Some of us can fight the addictions and become successful. Others of us cannot fight so well and need much help. Some of us, sad to say, never get past them.
Addictions are many: drugs, alcohol, sex, smoking, gambling, stealing, lying, eating. Some may be harder to break, but the fight is in the sincerity of heart in trying to overcome that is the important thing. So many factors play into addictions so an overall remedy is not likely nor plausible.
All this writer is trying to convey is none of these issues defines us as to who we really are. Who we really are lies within our mortal souls – do we choose heaven or do we choose hell? Do we accept the invitation the Lord offers us or do we snub Him and choose evil and satan? Do we realize we are Blood-bought by the Blood of Jesus? If so, our dignity is elevated. We are chosen. We did not choose God. He chose us. Let us be worthy to be called His children.
I am not the illness. You are not the illness. We are not the illness. It may have invaded our bodies but it does NOT define who we really are.
I do not own the illness. You do not own the illness. We do not own the illness. It may have invaded our bodies but we are not cancer, diabetes, arthritis, muscular dystrophy, multiple schlerosis, spina bifida, dysplasia, depression, blindness, or any other dis-ease. Do not claim illness.
What we are is defined by our attitude. Let us pray for the right attitude. Our attitude determines our altitude. Let us free up our spirits to the higher plane, to the spiritual realm with Jesus as our Strong Tower. Let us define ourselves as children of God………which we ARE.
My question is: "WHY would you want to OWN the disease? Why would you claim it as your own? Why not see it for what it is, an attack upon your body, your person?"
Although it is hard, I think it would be well to distance ourselves from the affront to our bodies, in essence to detach ourselves from what we, as Christians believe, is NOT from God. There is a way to separate the spiritual from the physical, to elevate the mind to the things of God, even while in the throes of illness and pain.
Disease is dis-ease. Many are the dis-eases besetting our bodies. In addition to those mentioned in first paragraph, we see dystrophies, depressions, chronic emphysemas, Chronic Pulmonary Diseases, Lupus, Fibromyalgias and many others, perhaps hundreds more, and yet they do not make up who we really are.
You may say, I can talk or preach, because I don't know serious illness and physical pain. While that may be true, my gut tells me there is more to the human spirit and soul than that to which we give ourselves due credit.
One way with which we can attempt to cope is to turn it over to God. We have heard it said time and again, "Let go and let God." Prayer is a way to help us let go by leaving the pain and illness at the foot of the Cross.
One example, which sounds rather puny, is when I am in the throes of a severe headache, I think of the thorns that were thrust into the beautiful head of our Lord, Jesus, and somehow the headache does not feel quite so badly. In doing that, the headache becomes a prayer, a prayer in unison with the sufferings of Jesus. It draws me closer to Him and into His wounds. It helps me to become compassionate of His own and others' pain.
If we have a cancer, we want it cut out, removed. We do not want it. It is not ours. We do everything we can to shrink it and have it removed. If we claim the cancer, we embrace it. It is not who we are. It is not ours. My husband had cancer of his right lower eyelid. He chose to have surgery; he needed reconstructive as well and he is free of cancer. I had skin cancer removed and I am free of cancer. Neither one of us claimed it as "my/our cancer."
The reason I bring up the idea of "illness, do not own it; it's not yours," is to offer suggestions in coping with whatever it is you may be suffering. If it is depression, try to separate the state of depression from who you really are. You are God's child and He wants ALL GOOD to be yours and anything negative is not of God. Therefore, it is my belief, that negativity can come from only one source, and that would be the evil one who wants only to cause you grief and distance you from God.
The evil one, satan, wants to put a wedge between us and God. He wants to divide us within ourselves. He wants to keep us from our Father God, from our Brother Jesus, and from the Holy Spirit. The evil one wants a great chasm to divide us from our Father. It is not worth it to permit this to occur.
Where the Blood of Jesus is poured, satan dare not enter. We are Blood-bought Christians washed in the Blood of Jesus, and girded in the Armor of Christ. Watch while satan cowers slithers and withers all the way to the dregs of hell. Banish him, O people of God. Rebuke the enemy and show allegiance to God, our Creator, Creator of ALL that is good, right and holy.
You are unique. There is no one like you. Only you are you. When you were born a fresh slate was offered to you, the gift of your very life to do with as you willed when you reached the age of reason. Would that every baby was given a fair chance by his or her parent/parents. We know, all too well, that some babies are aborted, and are and were given no chance for an earthly life, which was a gift given by the Creator and Author of all life. How many millions upon millions were denied the right to life! How many so-called doctors, who have taken the Hippocratic oath to “do no harm,” and have no remorse, will one day meet their own fate through the Justice of God. If, however, everyone involved in these instances, sincerely confessed and repented to the Lord, Jesus, and do these things no more, they can have the chance to enjoy eternal life in heaven.
We are made in the image and likeness of God. How is it some debase themselves and distance themselves from this fact? It is satan who fills their susceptible minds, hearts, souls and spirits with garbage. Satan entices people to do things unworthy of their heritage, that of being children of the King. Satan is cunning and makes all that is evil look good, smell good, and taste good. Addictions make the sly one giggle and chortle with delight. The more we fall into sin, the happier he is. The more we frequent places that entice us to do evil, the deeper into the pit we fall, and the mortal danger is we become helpless to do anything about it. The downward spiral makes us sick to death.
Praying Christians, praying mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends and acquaintances can be the impetus in our coming to grips with our addictions, our sins against God and man, enough so we may see the error of our ways. If Salvation is ours, we need to make it right with Jesus and not do those things again. Granted sometimes we may fall again but we must try and try again. The human spirit is a gift from God, who made us, each one of us precious in His sight. Realizing this will help us to improve and become more and more an image of Himself.
Let’s remember, we do not OWN addictions even if they occur because we have abused a substance, whatever that substance may be. We have permitted them to invade our bodies. Some of us are more susceptible than others. Some of us can fight the addictions and become successful. Others of us cannot fight so well and need much help. Some of us, sad to say, never get past them.
Addictions are many: drugs, alcohol, sex, smoking, gambling, stealing, lying, eating. Some may be harder to break, but the fight is in the sincerity of heart in trying to overcome that is the important thing. So many factors play into addictions so an overall remedy is not likely nor plausible.
All this writer is trying to convey is none of these issues defines us as to who we really are. Who we really are lies within our mortal souls – do we choose heaven or do we choose hell? Do we accept the invitation the Lord offers us or do we snub Him and choose evil and satan? Do we realize we are Blood-bought by the Blood of Jesus? If so, our dignity is elevated. We are chosen. We did not choose God. He chose us. Let us be worthy to be called His children.
I am not the illness. You are not the illness. We are not the illness. It may have invaded our bodies but it does NOT define who we really are.
I do not own the illness. You do not own the illness. We do not own the illness. It may have invaded our bodies but we are not cancer, diabetes, arthritis, muscular dystrophy, multiple schlerosis, spina bifida, dysplasia, depression, blindness, or any other dis-ease. Do not claim illness.
What we are is defined by our attitude. Let us pray for the right attitude. Our attitude determines our altitude. Let us free up our spirits to the higher plane, to the spiritual realm with Jesus as our Strong Tower. Let us define ourselves as children of God………which we ARE.
Negate illness! It is NOT who you are!
CLAIM SALVATION !
© Mel Patterson, 7-16-07
Labels: ILLNESS
posted by Mel @ 4:30 PM
