Nelson often begins his journaling with thoughts of frustration with “his sickness,” as he calls it. Then gradually God pulls his attention toward the needs of others, and before long he’s tapping out a gratitude list. And he usually feels much better after that.
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September 2, 2022
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:18-21)
Interesting bit here about suffering and the decay of creation, and it seems, the body. I was sitting on the porch yesterday, definitely frustrated by the decay of my body.
I feel a bit trapped in my body when it doesn’t function like it used to and feels like it’s operating at only 30% or so. Every day I’m sick in some way. My energy level is in the tank, and lots of other things are running on empty.
The scripture above is a bit “big picture,” which is good to keep in mind. Life here is short, even though it’s all we’ve ever known, making it seem long and really important. Paul tells us that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be coming later… Don’t even compare the two.
It seems like once we get to that point, we won’t even think about this body or the problems we had with it when we were here. Hard to believe or even understand, much less apply when all around us we basically worship our bodies and our lives here and now.
Older people and people with terminal illness like me seem to have an easier time getting “one foot in heaven,” because they have a logical reason to believe it’s coming sooner.
I’m holding onto the hope that God is going to heal me so I can spend time with the little family he gave me. I don’t want to leave them, and I don’t even want to stay with them in the shape I’m in now, all broken down and unable to help Annso with most things. She has to do 90% of the work, not to mention take care of me. It would be nice to do the same back to her.
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In different news, I sold my bike [motorcycle] to Everett out in Kona [Hawaii], and while it might be like Christmas day to him, and I’m sure he literally lays in bed thinking about that bike, I hope his father, my dear friend, signed off on him riding that thing.
Lord, I pray for safety for Everett on that thing. Please keep him safe somehow like you did for me all those years. You kept me from dying so many times on so many bikes, and I would ask you to do the same for that guy. I love him and want him to have tons of fun but not to get hurt.
Please help him not to overestimate himself or his ability to handle the weight and power. Please put a hedge of protection around him. Amen.
This makes me think of little Will. So much of a person is hard-wired in when they’re a kid. The rest comes into him from us parents and his peers. I pray you can help me raise him in the best way, so he’s not overly fearful.
I haven’t prayed that much for Will so far, but I pray that now, that you would give us wisdom as parents to know how to raise him well, to know what to make into a big deal and what’s no big deal and is for us to just overlook.
I’m so thankful you gave him to us and trust us to raise him up. I pray he would see us following you, Lord, as a good thing and desirable to him. Please give him wisdom in that way, to see spiritual things and to have insight into your word. I pray for him to also take life easy a little more than I did and not take it too seriously and over-think everything.
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“A wise son hears his father’s instructions.” (Proverbs 13:1)