Glory in Infirmities?????

There is really something about that phrase that completely has me thinking ...

There are four instances of "infirmities" in 2 Corinthians 11-12 ... the word really jumps out at me because I have been very sick for almost 4 weeks up until the beginning of last week, but particularly more the two weeks before.  Being sick and reading this word repeatedly has a way of signaling that the Lord wants to speak to me!

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities...For when I am weak, then I am strong.
-2 Cor. 12:9-10

About a day or two after reading this, dear friends that are serving the Lord in Mexico also shared this verse in their update!

My allergies, allergy-induced asthma, sinus pressure, coughing, ear pressure, chest pain, throat pain and headache were driving me nuts.  I had been going to the doctor and taking all kinds of medication in hopes of getting better.  I have also been doing Vicks, humidifier and many other alternatives, with no success.  I do know that a lot of people have been sick for weeks and pneumonia or bronchitis have been going around.  I was so frustrated that I couldn't get better and couldn't breathe that I ended up going on Prednisone, which I normally refuse, if at all possible.

I had been reading a devotional that really grabbed a hold of me.  The title for the reading was "Preparation".  The couple of lines that ministered to me were:
"What is in your hand? Would you attempt to do a work with a broken instrument? ... Preparation is your own responsibility.  Certainly I will help you in it, but I am not glorified through a vessel that is careless concerning its condition."

I have been spending so much time and effort into material preparations, yet I need to prepare myself.  One of the first scriptures that the Lord had given me was about preparations.  I need to prepare myself emotionally, spiritually and also physically.

The Lord has opened doors for me to go to a homeopathic medicine doctor.  I am exploring other alternatives to getting better physically with natural means after having been so medicated.  I am hopeful, but not yet certain.  I believe this is part of my responsibility and duty to be prepared.  We shall see what the Lord does through this.

So, while I look into preparing my body and trying to get better naturally, it is then that I came to 2 Corinthians 11-12.  Infirmities have a way to induce in me many feelings ... desire to "glory" or "boas" is not one of them.  I get frustrated, angry, agitated, depressed, lonely, impatient, etc.  As I am sick, I have the choice to draw closer to the Lord, find in the infirmity the reason for rejoicing and glorying, or to allow all the natural emotions to take over.  I can rejoice that when I am weak, then I am strong!  I can become the vessel where the Lord pours out His power!!!  I can take hold of His strength in my life when I am weak.  I can embrace my weakness and glory in my infirmity!

I am finally starting to feel better, so I hope that I have learned what He was trying to teach me. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like being sick, but it is a sweet reminder to embrace what He allows in my life.  Even when I don't like it, I can glory in it!