The Darkness Will Lift: Our Week So Far

So it’s been a significantly challenging and difficult week for us…

– Saturday: wifey terribly sick (throwing up and diarrhoea… never seen her that bad before)
– Sunday: wifey rushed to hospital
– Monday: doctors said she suffered food poisoning
– Tuesday night: I fell sick… Symptoms pointing to food poisoning and diarrhoea too. I was terribly sick last night. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t walk. Couldn’t eat. Couldn’t sleep. Wifey thinks my case was my fault; she warned me against that food combination I had last night. But you see, I never listen 🙁
– Wednesday: Three days in a row I have not been to the office. ‘Not really sure how I’m managing to blog. I can barely sit or move. I am walking around the house like a mummy. Am I addicted to WordPress or the iPad? Oh well…

So tomorrow, I will hopefully head to the GP practice for check-up and possible prescription (I hate medicines!).

You know, God’s children are not immuned to dark days like we have experienced this week. Terrible weeks are not reserved to those who do not share our faith.
Hospital visits, as much as we hate them, are potentially unavoidable in our lifetime.
In fact, listen to what Paul says: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
(2 Corinthians 4:8-11 ESV)

So what gives me (weak, tired, sick, pale, with significant headache as I type…) the courage to write these words?
What makes me able to encourage and challenge you in my weakness and illness?
What gives me the strength to blog? (despite my wife’s firm voice in the background… “so you have the strength to blog abi!? Haha, I love her so much.)
Here’s my answer: “…so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in my mortal flesh”

Dark days are NOT enough to quench our love for God or His for us.
Sickness is NOT enough to separate us from God’s love.
Hospital visits will NOT diminish our commitment to God.
We may be afflicted but NOT crushed.
We may be perplexed but NOT driven to despair.
We may be struck down but NOT destroyed.

I encourage you, let nothing separate you from God’s love. The light always shines at the end of every dark day. The darkness will lift.

PS: This post will not be complete without mentioning the practical love we have received from our church folks; the prayers, the food, the home visits and the way we have been inundated with calls and more… Simply awesome and we are grateful!

Grace and peace.