Three times I pleaded with the Lord to relieve me of this. But he answered me, “My grace is always more than enough for you, and my power finds its full expression through your weakness.” So I will celebrate my weaknesses, for when I’m weak I sense more deeply the mighty power of Christ living in me. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 TPT

For those who suffer from chronic illness – in any of it’s various forms – may this passage bring some hope to your tired souls.

Sometimes it’s hard to carry on when you are hurting and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. When there are more questions than answers as to why you are suffering, it is difficult to maintain hope that things will ever get better.

BUT

God’s grace IS sufficient. His grace will carry us through the darkest, most painful times. He gives us the grace to walk through whatever we are walking through…for however long we go through it. He never leaves us. He doesn’t abandon us.

He carries us. 

Our job is to allow Him to do so. He calls us to stop struggling and striving and to rely on Him. He calls us to rest. That doesn’t mean to “do nothing.” But, instead of trying to figure everything out on our own – and instead of relying on our own strength – He longs for us to lift our pain, our questions, our darkness, our hopelessness up to Him and trust that He will bring hope, healing, and restoration to our bodies and souls.

He will redeem the time that has been lost.

As we rely on Him, He is able to work all the more powerfully in, and through, us. But we must rely on Him and the grace He provides.

Even when we do not feel beautiful, God can bring beauty through us as we cling to Him. We can still bring hope to the world around us, even though hope is the very thing we feel we have lost. God can still shine through our debilitating pain…as long as we abide in Him. And even the strength to abide will come from Him, we need only ask Him for it.

Beloved, if you are struggling with a chronic illness (or any kind of pain or hopelessness), please know that God loves you more than you can imagine. He sees you in the midst of your darkness and pain and His heart breaks with yours. He is on your side and has not abandoned you. It is the enemy (Satan) who comes to kill, steal and destroy. It is the Lord who gives us life…life ABUNDANTLY. So, please be still, and trust that God holds you. Because He does. You are loved, cherished and valued so much more than what you are feeling. His promises are true, and yes, they are true for you.

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:20-22 NIV