Preachers/Christians with chronic illness

[a.b.]

Hello friends,  I am a preacher who has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  While I am waiting for my body to be healed by God, I need some emotional and spiritual support.  I'd like to get in touch with other preachers or Christians who really know how it feels to be misunderstood by healthy church members. 

[nChrist]

Hello friends,  I am a preacher who has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  While I am waiting for my body to be healed by God, I need some emotional and spiritual support.  I'd like to get in touch with other preachers or Christians who really know how it feels to be misunderstood by healthy church members. 

Hello a.b.,

It's been a long time, and it's great to hear from you.

We just might have a few answers for you here. I don't know if they will satisfy the healthy church members that you are talking about, but I think we have the ingredients for a really good discussion here.

We have many people on the forum who live with permanent disabilities and painful illnesses, including me. I'll give you one answer right now, but I'll warn you in advance that it's simple, and it might not satisfy the people you are talking about. JESUS is my Joy, Strength, and Song!

A.B., I'd really like to know a little bit more about what kind of problems you are facing with the attitudes of others. There is much we can do with the help of JESUS with our own attitudes and actions. Prayer and a multitude of other Christian actions can also effect the attitudes of others. I do know that some people may have a tendency to discriminate against people with illness and disability. "Discriminate" might not be a good term for what you are describing, but maybe it will do until you give us a better idea about what you are specifically dealing with.

A.B., I hope you feel comfortable in sharing with us, and we will feel comfortable with sharing with you. I know for a fact that GOD uses broken people for HIS GLORY. "Broken" can also have all kinds of definitions, but let's use it for health.

For now, please just let me say one thing: God uses who HE will, and some of the most mighty witnesses may have problems with health. There are and have been ministers in my own family who suffer with health. Ministers are not immune from illness and injury. Give us a little bit better idea and let's talk about it.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 143:8 NASB  Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul.

[Terri]

Hi a.b.,

Nice to see you still around!!! Hope things are going good for you! I've been doing some research on health and different foods and spices that have healing effects to our body. Garlic has many different healing effects to our bodies. It lowers blood pressure, help prevent strokes, decreases Cholesterol, also has antibiotic effect on certain bacteria and viral infections. It's really powerful!! I eat 2 fresh crushed cloves a day. I have high cholesterol. My next check up is in April, I'll let you know how my results turn out.

Also fruits and veggies are very important!! Many of us don't eat a well balanced diet and it has negative effects on our bodies. My diet was really bad. I was eating very little fruits and veggies. And I felt tired all the time. I lack motivation and was starting to put on weight.  I slowly started to change my diet. I add more fruits and veggies, plus I drink a high fiber drink every day. It's called Konsyl ( 100% Natural Psyllium Fiber)  It really cleans your system out!!!!!! Since I have made these changes, my energy has increased and I have lose 6 pounds.  Change is really hard, but I am seeing the positive results and that helps me to continue to change.

Have you read, The Makers Diet by Jordan S. Rubin? Great book!! He was slowly dying and had been to many different doctors and on many different drugs to help his illness. He suffered from chronic fatigue, Anemia, and the list goes on. He change his diet and has healed himself and is restored back to a healthy self. It amazing how the food we eat effects our health. Hope you get the book!!!

Hope this info. has helped you!!!
God Bless you, Terri

[Soldier4Christ]

Hi  a.b.,

Like Brother Tom said you might just get your answers here. There are many very good Christians here that are experiencing similar to what you are. I am also one of those. I have a problem cholesterol that has caused me to go through a quadruple by-pass and problems that are diagnosed as fibromyalgia.

Many people expect God to heal us of all of our physical infirmities. While He is most assuredly able to He sometimes chooses not to do so. Some would say this is a lack of faith on our part. Yet Paul had a physical infirmity and he said it was due to keeping him from getting to confident in himself instead of God. This is not the only reason that God may have for not healing us. Who knows the mind of God?

I do know that if it were not for God's work in this physical body that I would not be able to be here today posting on this forum.

God did not promise us that we would have perfect health at all times. In fact He told us that as long as we are in the flesh that we would face trials and tribulations of all kinds.

I once had a person tell me that I did not have enough faith because of my infirmities and that I had slipped away from God or I would not be going through these things. This person even went on to say, "Look at me. I have perfect health and loads of money. God blessed me because I am doing what I should and am closer to him than you are." I simply referred them to 2 Co 11: 15-31 and 2 Co 12: 5 - 9.

Do those that brag about there health and money still have faith or do they falter spiritually when such physical infirmities overtake them? We are told to lay up our treasures in a place that really counts not here on earth. It is the spiritual health of others that should concern us the most.

These physical bodies of ours are frail and will not always be healthy. Praise God that we will not have these problems when we have our new glorified bodies.


 

[nChrist]

Hello Pastor Roger,

I once had a person tell me that I did not have enough faith because of my infirmities and that I had slipped away from God or I would not be going through these things. This person even went on to say, "Look at me. I have perfect health and loads of money. God blessed me because I am doing what I should and am closer to him than you are." I simply referred them to 2 Co 11: 15-31 and 2 Co 12: 5 - 9.

YES!, I have heard this many times before, and this really bothers me. If this was true, maybe this would also be the reason why all people physically die. The last person I heard say something like this was wearing glasses. I didn't say anything, but you can probably guess what I was thinking. It dealt with hypocrisy.

Romans 8:22-28 NASB  For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

God will give all of HIS children Glorified bodies one day at his appointed time, but we must all learn how to deal with this weak human body of flesh during our short journey here. We will also war with the flesh and the old man until we are completely freed of it. In the meantime, we can pray that GOD gives us the strength and Grace to overcome the flesh and persevere through injury and illness that is SURE to come. I would like to say something very positive HERE for CHRISTIANS. At our worst and weakest, it is then that many Christians grow closer to JESUS and stronger in HIM. We are weak, and we should know that. HE is STRONG, and it is good for us to learn to depend on HIS STRENGTHS, not our own.

1 Peter 5:10  NASB  After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

Judges 16:28  NASB  Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes."

Psalms 10:17  NASB  O LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their heart, You will incline Your ear

Isaiah 35:3  NASB  Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.

Isaiah 41:10  NASB  'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Zechariah 10:6  NASB  "I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph, And I will bring them back, Because I have had compassion on them; And they will be as though I had not rejected them, For I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.

Zechariah 10:12  NASB  "And I will strengthen them in the LORD, And in His name they will walk," declares the LORD.

1 Thessalonians 3:2-3 NASB  and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 NASB  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

James 5:7-8 NASB  Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Romans 10:8-10 NASB  But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Amen Brother Tom,

Many of those verses came to my mind also.

If this was true, maybe this would also be the reason why all people physically die.

Anyone that knows anything about the Bible knows that just isn't the case.

This entire thread also brought to mind the wonderful testimony that catty brought to us in the prayer thread of her friend Donna. A woman whose frail fleshy body was suffering and ailing yet whose faith was so strong in the Lord that she had no doubts that the Lord was going to make her whole, not here on earth but with Him in Heaven. That is the promise that God has given to those who accept Him that we will be made whole when He takes us to be with Him. Praise God for His wonderful promises. Promises that we all can rest assuredly of that He will keep.

[nChrist]

Pastor Roger,

Yes, I did think about Donna and several other sweet Christians that I know about. I think that it's really enough to know that GOD doesn't make any mistakes.

Love in Christ,
Tom

Ephesians 3:11-13 NASB  This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

[Terri]

Amen, Amen!!!!!! I can't wait for the day to be in heaven with the lord!!!! It will be great to no longer have illness! We will be able to leave these broke bodies behind!!!!! 

a.b., How are you doing? Waiting for you to post back......
God Bless, Terri

[tiger_lily33]

Hello friends,  I am a preacher who has Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  While I am waiting for my body to be healed by God, I need some emotional and spiritual support.  I'd like to get in touch with other preachers or Christians who really know how it feels to be misunderstood by healthy church members. 

well my friend.. im not a preacher but a christian lady of nealry 33.. a mother of 2 active boys 5 and 13...app..I have Fybromyalgia,, rumatoid arthritus (they belive) and they are still looking for reason why certain things are the way they are, going thru constant tests etc, i have chronic Fatigue syn and IBS these 2 things go along with the fybromyalgia.. and friends.... i sooo truly know what your talking about when you get looks, and people talking behind my back  and wondering why im not workin.. when i cant do things with my kids like "good" mommas can,, i have shed alot of tears and prayed alot of prayers cause of these kinds of people..my MOTHER in LAW,, when i found out that i had  some serious problems health wise.. had the audacity to tell me that well,,, the isrealites never had problems unless there was sin in the camp so maybe you should check your life.. imagine..
PA.. that would go along with what was said to you..i have had people tell me that true christians shouldnt have to go to Dr's and  or take medication that we should just live by faith etc,, (hmm wonder what Luke was doing being a physician??!! there are sadly alot of people in this life that have little to no tact, or common decency. wisdom etc.. they dont realise or have the foggiest clue what chronic pain is all about.. and how it effects you mentally, emotionally, physically ,financially  and even spiritually ..how it effects others in your life but as u can see.. you have understanding here and support!!
praying for ya..
TL
anyways said all that to say this,, ab and others that go thru this..i can honestly say i understand..