Spiritual Warfare: Illness
I recently had a friend return from a two week mission trip in Central Asia. When she got back, she felt severely ill, so went to the emergency room. The doctors (and all of us) wanted to check for severe Central Asia diseases, you know the "interesting" cases. Our friend commented she felt like she was on House, or Gray's Anatomy with many specialists coming to see her. The final diagnosis: viral meningitis. Probable scenario: someone on their team carried a gastrointestinal virus with them to Central Asia. Nine of the 14 team members were sick on the trip. What seems to have happened is on the final days when most were feeling better, the virus went to her head, causing the meningitis.
Ironically, most people fear going dangerous places for their safety, but sometimes God may show us how vulnerable we are, no matter what the location. I have found the most safe place to be is where God has called you, not necessarily the easiest place to live. Its like the shirts from Adventure places, "You can die sky-diving, falling in the air hundreds of miles per hour or you can fall off your couch." How true. We can't be afraid of life in Christ, if we are His, we are in His hands.
I was thinking earlier as we were in her house with 10-15 other people. This team went over there to share the kind of love she is experiencing with the people of Central Asia. If this had happen to a person over there, there would not be this out-pouring of love and support. Praise God we have an opportunity to know Him and his body the church, and I pray this situation doesn't scare some people into not want to go (she contracted the initial virus here in the states), but urges them to go all the more, to deliver this kind of grace and love to those with no access to this Gospel. Praise and Glory be to His Name in all the Earth.
May situations like this show us God is in control. We need to follow after Him and let Him take care of the circumstances. Now I am not saying to jump in the deep end of the pool if you can't swim, or to see how long you can lay in the snow naked. But, while there are destinations with more risk, God uses situations for His glory. The safest place we can be is where he calls us.
Ironically, most people fear going dangerous places for their safety, but sometimes God may show us how vulnerable we are, no matter what the location. I have found the most safe place to be is where God has called you, not necessarily the easiest place to live. Its like the shirts from Adventure places, "You can die sky-diving, falling in the air hundreds of miles per hour or you can fall off your couch." How true. We can't be afraid of life in Christ, if we are His, we are in His hands.
I was thinking earlier as we were in her house with 10-15 other people. This team went over there to share the kind of love she is experiencing with the people of Central Asia. If this had happen to a person over there, there would not be this out-pouring of love and support. Praise God we have an opportunity to know Him and his body the church, and I pray this situation doesn't scare some people into not want to go (she contracted the initial virus here in the states), but urges them to go all the more, to deliver this kind of grace and love to those with no access to this Gospel. Praise and Glory be to His Name in all the Earth.
May situations like this show us God is in control. We need to follow after Him and let Him take care of the circumstances. Now I am not saying to jump in the deep end of the pool if you can't swim, or to see how long you can lay in the snow naked. But, while there are destinations with more risk, God uses situations for His glory. The safest place we can be is where he calls us.
posted by Adam & Melissa Hoffman at 2:25 PM
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