Submitted by Rachel Spinuzzi
Have you ever had one of those seasons, the kind where you feel like there must be a target taped to your back? When you are trying to do all the right things, but you feel like Satan has your number on speed dial? That’s where I have been living this semester. In January I agreed to lead a small group Bible study on Philippians that was titled “Joy” and it seems like ever since then the joy stealers have been lining up. Stuff like the flu, strep, pneumonia, my 5-year-old cat dying of cancer, my 16-year-old cat wasting away and then also dying of cancer 2 months later, serious medical issues within our family, waiting on the ever lovely referral system in Tricare to find out just how serious things might be, and did I mention we’re moving?
God was not surprised about any of this.
When the results of the 5-year-old cat’s surgery were devastating, that shock made me realize once again about the frailty of this life. I started worrying what could happen to my family. Inoperable cancer could just as easily strike someone close to me. Fear set in cold and deep. Then news came just a couple of weeks later that my dear hubby might have a serious medical problem, but we had to wait on the system to find out what, if anything, was wrong. In Philippians it says to be anxious for nothing and to rejoice in the Lord always (4:4 and 4:6). The author of our study said that worry was a sin. Seriously? I am not cut out to be the perfect Christian who can live in this imperfect world, be subject to sin and death, and not be anxious. And moving, I am always apprehensive about moving. Lord, help my unbelief. Father, Healer, Comforter, help me, help us.
God’s word is helpful; it is His letter to us. Philippians is helpful; it points me to Jesus. Jesus is the true Savior, the humble servant, and the Holy One who has paid the ultimate price for me. I need to focus on Him, worship Him, compare my sufferings to His, and consider the work He has already accomplished. That gives me perspective. I need to continue to think about others and not just sink into my own little pity party (Phil 2:4). God saw fit to give me a neighbor who went through both a pet dying recently and a husband with a serious medical issue to walk beside me and encourage me. Thank you, Lord! He is our ever-faithful Provider and will supply our needs according to His riches (Phil 4:19).
I press on because I have not attained Christ’s likeness. I am FAR from it. I cannot obtain it on my own, but Christ has made me His own. He dwells in me and has promised to perfect me. When I am discouraged by my weaknesses, lack of faith, and worry habits, He reminds me that He will continue to bring the good work already started in me to completion (Phil 1:6). I try to forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. Our citizenship is in Heaven, until we get there things aren’t going to be pretty or perfect or easy. I can count on Him to strengthen me (Phil 4:13) until then.
In my effort to find peace and hope I must pray. I must rejoice in what the Lord has already done and will do in the future, rejoice in His Righteousness, rejoice in His victory, rest on His strength, take all my requests to Him, and count all the blessings He has given and continues to give so generously (Phil 4:4-7). Then I need to focus on things that are honorable, true, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent, keeping my eyes fixed on Heaven and the hope we have there (Phil 4:8).
(By the way, that big scary medical problem that I thought my husband had? It disappeared by the time we finally got the bigger better test. Either the problem was never there in the first place, or God healed my husband. So I really was anxious for nothing.)
Glory to God!
Rejoice!
