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Focus on the King not the Suffering

God's Kindness Quest Series

Beginning another day in pain, from head to toe

Can’t wait for it to go

 

The intensity increases as my feet hit the floor

Relentless suffering shakes my faith to its core

 

Hard to sleep

Hurts too often and deep

 

Sleep deprivation is a serious issue

Belabored thinking and diminished functionality continue

 

Hate taking these medications

They cause side effects and complications

 

Illness is becoming an obsession

Accompanied by hopelessness and depression

 

Physically and mentally, I’m a wreck

Costs are escalating, writing check upon check

 

Off to physical therapy, the pharmacy, and a variety of doctors

Reconciling medical bills and insurance issues, all time stealers

 

Despite making healthy changes and seeing progression

Another wave of health challenges causes regression

 

Stuck on this merry-go-round of infirmity

Can't seem to find a lasting remedy

 

Barely muster up a lame prayer

With less than a mustard seed of faith, I share

 

HELP! I am weakened and in a dark place

A river of tears streaming down my face

 

I collapse in total exhaustion

In complete resignation

 

Sense the Lord's hand upon my back, as he smiled

A heavenly whisper, rest my child

 

I drift off into a divine slumber

Waking more refreshed than I can remember 

 

No more fogginess; my thoughts are clear

Hope dominates, instead of discouragement and fear

 

Mental clarity resurfaces a truth I’ve heard

Affliction is no match for God's Word

 

No longer fixating on the suffering

All focus is on my Savior, Healer, and King

Interactive Questions

Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV), "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

  • What emotions, memories, thoughts, convictions, or inspirations bubbled up while reading the poem?

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  • Father God, what do you want me to know about my answers to the previous question? 

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  • What physical or emotional issue is hindering your daily life?

 

  • How much time do you spend each day thinking about it? 

 

  • How often do you talk about it? Is it the focus of your conversations?

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  • List all your emotions, worries, and concerns about the current circumstances.

    • Examples: anger, fear, sadness, hopelessness, frustration, finances, wasted time and energy, diminished quality of life, strain on relationships, deferred goals.

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  • Lord, how do I cooperate with you to overcome these physical or emotional challenges? 

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  • What are the promises in the Bible about your situation?

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  • What promises or encouragement has the Lord personally given you about your situation?

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  • How have you witnessed God’s faithfulness in the past?

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  • Lord, Scripture tells us you intercede for us before the Father. What are you praying for me regarding this season?

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  • Father God, is there anything else you want to share with me at this moment?

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Prayer

James 5:16 (NLT),  "... The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.​"

Lord, I give you the pain, depression, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, lack of mental clarity, and everything listed under the questions. I give you the doctor appointments and diagnoses, tests and test results, medications and side effects. I give you the whirlwind of insurance and billing issues, as well as the financial drain of physician and medication costs. 

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It’s all overwhelming and I feel too depleted to pray clearly. So, my prayer is this, HELP! Raise up others to pray for me, those of strong faith. In Exodus 17, you had Aaron and Hur assist Moses in his weakness. I ask you to send your messengers to lift me up.

 

Nevertheless, by faith, I receive your promise to strengthen me in my weakness. Thank you I am not alone in this. 

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I give you any family history of infirmity and a pattern of passing it down from generation to generation. I repent on behalf of myself and my generational line for any sin which contributed to this suffering, asking for your forgiveness and cleansing. Cut the ungodly ties and cancel the negative sowing and reaping. 

 

This has felt like a Red Sea and wilderness experience to me. I ask for your healing, guidance, protection, and annihilation of infirmity. Amen.

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  • Lord, what did this prayer activate in accordance with James 5:16?

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  • ​Tweak the existing prayer as desired or craft a new personalized one.

Scripture

2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT), "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true ..."

Romans 8:26-28 (NLT)

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

 

Romans 8:11 (NLT)

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”

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  • List meaningful Bible verses which come to mind regarding this poem, the interactive questions, and prayer.

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