What is Eternal

Lying in bed this morning, even before my eyes popped open, I was pierced with pain from head to toe. That's just life when you live with fibromyalgia and all the ills that accompany it. Yes, I try not to focus on it. Yes, I take medicine and go to the doctor regularly. Yes, I keep positive thoughts in my mind and stay in God's Word. People who haven't experienced this kind of chronic pain just do not understand that all the typical "remedies" just plain out do not work for fibromyalgia. There is no magic pill or lifestyle. No matter how hard I try to keep my mind off the searing pain, it forces it's way into every fiber of my being. It just plain hurts. You know what? I think it is ok to admit that it hurts. It's ok to rest when my body cries out in agony. It's ok to stay in my pjs when the energy to get dressed is no where in sight. It's ok to feel the pain instead of trying to pretend that it isn't there. God knows it's there. God feels it right along with me. God understands completely and He does not judge me for hurting. I won't give up. I won't stop fighting it every single day. But, some days, the Fibromyalgia wins. I think it's those days that God whispers to my soul. "It's ok daughter. Rest in my arms. I will hold you in your pain. It's not my will that you suffer, but you live in a fallen world. It's part of reality. I will carry you through it and someday bring you home to the place I have prepared for you. A place void of pain. Void of suffering. Void of hopelessness. Void of discouragement." Faith is believeing in what is not seen. Hoping for better days. Believing the best is yet to come. Trusting that God has it all under control. Faith is NOT ignoring reality, but walking through it's realness knowing that I am not alone. My friend, if you are like me and are hurting today...physically or emotionally...it's ok to feel the pain. It's ok to recognize that circumstances are less than perfect in your life. What's not ok is trying to do it alone, loosing hope and giving up altogether. There can be joy even in the pain, though. I experience it every day. I can smile when I'm hurting. I can love when I'm hurting. I can hope, expect, live, and even be diligent when I am suffering. You can too. The pain is real. The lethargy is real. The fogginess of mind is real. But, God is eternal and our pain is not. Hallelujah! "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things that are seen, but at the things which are unseen. For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things whish are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NKJV) In His restful service, Starr LaPradd