How the Word of God Brings Comfort When Dealing with Health Issues

I could not control the things that were occurring in my body. It drove me into a constant state of panic and anxiety attacks that physically and mentally exhausted me. At the time this happened I believed in God and I knew some of what The Bible said, but for the first time I felt like my faith was really being put to the test. It was like God was saying, you say that you trust me, but it was never tested, so now in this trial I am going to put you to the test. It was true, I had never really been through anything like I was experiencing at the time. On going day in and day out of mental turmoil, physical and emotional pain. I wanted it all to stop. Little did I know it was the beginning of how I began to build a deeper relationship with God. I will share 4 things that will help you find comfort in the Word of God as I did and still doing while dealing with ongoing health issues.

It started with 1 scripture. I used to work in a childcare facility and during that time there was a woman who used to hand out scriptures that were typed on a strip of a paper. I took the one she gave me and I went home and stuck on the fridge with a magnet. I found myself reading it daily and at some point I became adamant about memorizing it. I didn't realize how that one scripture would turn out to be the anchor I needed in a dark season of my life. Jeremiah 29:11 became my peace when panic attacks woke me up out of my sleep. It became my focus when anxiety attacks threatened to take over my day. I prayed and cried and asked God to rescue me from the pain and when I was steady enough I would read The Word of God because honestly sometimes I didn't want to think of anything at all due to mental exhaustion. 

1. Anchor Scriptures are necessary and it is the first bit of advice I want to share with you. Psalms 119:105 says, Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path." Find that one scripture that speaks to your situation and when you feel a panic/anxiety attack or your mind being bombarded by negative thoughts, start to recite the scripture to yourself. When they were really bad I would say it out loud to help pull my mind out the rabbit hole it starting running down. Once I could mentally grasp the meaning of what the scripture was saying I began to calm down. This will definitely take some time and adding in deep breathing helps as well.
2. In the Word of God there was a consistent character trait that I believe we fail to fully grasp and its seeing in the text that God always kept his word. Numbers 23:19 says, "God is not a man, so he does not lie. His is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?" When you began to read and learn more about the character of God then it will build your trust in him. He reveals himself in the Word.  So, taking God at his word is another bit of advice I want to share simply because it takes the weight off of our shoulders and gives weight to God's word to come to pass in our life. 
3. Trial and Tribulations come to build our faith and what I've learned is that keeping my eyes on Jesus helps me to keep my mind off of what I am going through. Hebrews 12:2 says, "We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith...". You do not want to become so engrossed in your issues that it does not leave room for you to hide The Word in you heart. This will keep you stuck and stagnant. The living Word of God keeps you moving forward. The takeaway here is to look at your trials as a testing of your Faith. Ask God what do I need to learn in this season of my life and he will show you. 
4. Your character will be shaped by God. God refines us in the struggle. Psalms 105:19 says, "Until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph's character." You may go through seasons of crying to God, when will it be over. Then seasons of accepting what is and enduring along the way. Then finally finding peace in His Word. God is a healer. His Word heals the heart, mind, and refreshes the spirit.  While my health has improved, everything is not 100% perfect and I learned to be okay with that as I continue to endure and move forward in my walk with Christ. One thing I can promise is that peace will come when you allow God to fully step into your life.

If you have made it this far in reading this, I know at some point you thought well I just want my old self back, but the old self probably would not have submitted to God the way you are willing to now or are doing so now. While I acknowledged God, he called me into a deeper relationship with him and I probably would not have arrived at the place I am now without the wake up call of fully understanding that I do not control everything. God gives us the strength to keep running the race. We just need to rest in Him and His Word. I challenge you to find a anchor scripture today that speaks to your situation and began reading it daily. Let it bring peace to your situation in knowing that God keeps His promises. 

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