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Mitsy
February 25th, 2007, 09:16 PM
Lately I've been struggling to cope with Suffering in a Godly manner.

Amazingly my Bible Study Group decided to do the Book of Job this year. Just started studying Job.

Job was a righteous man in God's eyes. God said so. Job never got to know "WHY" he got hit with all the suffering. So far I've learnt his mates tried to say it was due to sin but we know that Job was righteous in God's eyes and it was Satan's doing.

I've been sick with Chronic rhematoid arthritis for 15 years now. My husband has recently being diagnosed with an illness called Menieres. Neither one of us will die prematurely from our illnesses but it has stopped us both from working. I haven't been able to work for 4 years now (not even part-time). My husband has only been unable to work for the last couple of months. We are not sure if the Menieres will stop (as it can) so he can return to work.

When I stopped work we thought at least my husband can work. Now he can't either we are not sure what the future will bring. We are in Australia and no we don't take out sickness insurance. When our savings run out the Governtment provides a disability pension. However, with the way things are going we feel all our lives hard work is being eaten away by our current circumstances. Not are we living on our savings, all the doctors bills and medication add up. I really would prefer to work rather than rely on Govt handouts.

We've had a number of other things happen which has upset us, but today we had a car accident causing only financial damage and more stress. We are fully insured the young man who caused the accident isn't. Our insurance will pay for our damages but we lose our "no Claim bonus" and $500 excess. Just what we didn't need. A fornight ago the vacuum cleaner stopped working and we had to buy a new one. It has been in the past 6 months one thing after another. The doctors early last year gave my husband too strong a dose of his heart medication, he landed in hospital and was fortunate his kidneys didn't shut down.

I understand we will suffer in this world. We are told that we are to persevere. Both my husband and I are mature Christians and mature adults. We have left our youth and worldly indulgences long ago. We understand that we need to "submit ourselves to God" resist the devil & he will flee. We repent of our sins (known & unknown) and we try to each day live our lives in obedience to Him. We pray for His healing, provision and protection of us & our family. We are grateful for all His blessings and we Thank & Praise Him in our prayers not just come to Him with a wish list.

How do we continue to Suffer in a Godly way. We are both tired & worn out from our struggles. I'm emotionally raw and find it hard to keep it together when things go wrong these days. I'm not a good witnesses for Jesus.

I never used to cry so easily but these days I find I cry each time a difficulty presents itself. I don't mean small things like the Doctor's appointment was cancelled today. I mean like the phone company cut you off by mistake because they got the wrong account, then reconnect you only after you spend a week of pointing out their mistake to them (then you get billed for the reconnection).

How are we to cope in this wicked world until we are raptured out of here.

I'm overwhellemed, when will all this end. When will I have peace. I dread waking up because I don't know if today some further insanity will need to be faced.

Robbinson
February 25th, 2007, 09:27 PM
Misty:

I'm so sorry to hear of the struggles you have been going through. It sounds like you have had your hands full - and its wonderful that your faith has been a source of strength, but understandable that you are becoming wearing. I'll pray for you and your husband (as I'm sure many others will when they read your post) and I really do believe in the power of prayer. In the meantime, while there is no magic bullet for the financial and psychological strains you are going through, it is times like these when close friends being part of a warm Church community can be of most help. Reach out to your friends and congregants for support - they will be there for you, I'm sure, just as you would be for them in their time of need.

When I've had my own struggles (although nothing like what you have described so I can't truly put myself in your shoes), I have stepped back to marvel at the beauty of God's creation and the "little things" I've come to take for granted - and also have taken inspiration from those less fortunate who suffer with debilitating handicaps and yet still manage to get by. That usually gets me back to being thankful for each day, for each breath -and a recognition that each day is an opportunity to live for God's glory and as an example to others.

Warm regards (and prayers for your full and quick recovery on all fronts)

Mitsy
February 25th, 2007, 09:57 PM
Thanks Robbinson

I was afraid that would be the case. No instant fix. It would be nice just to have a break. I know after my husband and I are over all these trials that we will look back and be able to say "Hmm we can see God was doing this or that" but until then it is confusing and frustrating.

I appreciate that others do have it worse than us. I only have to think of the citizens in Iraq and the terror they must live with everyday. Yes I am grateful for living in Sydney Australia. I am grateful that I'm ill in stable country with medical services. I will be more grateful tomorrow when the car accident of this morning is a memory of what happened yesterday.

I still find it hard to deal with the headache and back pain and the not knowing "WHY" and if there is more and worse to come. If I'm struggling with this now how would I cope with a worse tomorrow.

I guess what I'm asking is how we have victory over the Insecurity of "what may happen tomorrow" in a world that is on it's way to destruction?

Waiting2go
February 25th, 2007, 10:15 PM
Remember, God never gives us more than we can bear. Trust me, there have been times when I felt I really couldn't bear anymore, but by giving it all to God, he got me through it.

In answer to your question of how we have victory over the insecurity of "what may happen tomorrow", is to just have faith that "God's Will" will be done. That is all we can do. I will be praying for you, I do understand how you are struggling.