What do you do with a disease that won't go away?

What do you do with a disease that just won't go away?

I had a bad night last night, after an ever-increasing bad day - and I must admit, I feel better now, just being up and about. It's a new day. But the disease, with its ever-changing and increasing symptoms, hasn't gone anywhere. You just can't get away from it. It's always there - there's no break. There are ups and downs, that's for sure - and thank goodness for those "ups" - when you almost feel normal! But trying to stay "positive" or "keep your chin up" or "hang in there" - it just doesn't cut it. The reality is - despite all the medications, and procedures, and therapies, and surgeries that are available to help with the symptoms of Parkinson's (and I am thankful for every single one of them!) - the only thing that can be promised about the outlook for this disease...is that it will get worse.

So, what do you do?

You turn to the One who promises to never, ever leave you. You trust in the One who is the same - yesterday, today, and forever. You open His Word, you read His "Book of promises", and you hold them fast - because He who promised is faithful.

"Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you."
Isaiah 43:2

"Nevertheless I am continually with Thee;
Thou hast taken hold of my right hand.
With Thy counsel Thou wilt guide me,
And afterward receive me to glory."
Psalm 73:23-24

"The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him."
Psalm 28:7

These words are truth - they satisfy my heart and soul like nothing else can. And nothing - no disease or sickness or injury or any circumstance of life - can negate them.

There's a lot being said these days about the nun who says she has been healed of her Parkinson's disease by the late Pope John Paul II. And as far as I understand it, that is considered a miracle, qualifying him for something called "beautification", and is the first of two miracles needed to make him a saint.

Many, many people rejoice over this, and will even travel to Rome for the ceremonies and celebrations. Needless to say, it will be a big deal. But there are also many people who are very angry about this - and really, looking at it through their eyes, I see their point. I've read several comments/articles from folks who have PD, but do not have faith in God. Their point is, to paraphrase - "...there is no "miracle", because there is no god - the nun probably didn't have PD at all, just something similar (there is no definitive test for PD). And, for whatever reason that this nun is healthy again - well, that's great for her - but what about all the others that still have/do have PD? Not only do we want to have nothing to do with religion, that very religion (in this case, the Catholic church) is standing in the way of our best chance for a cure - stem cell research!" (It may be phrased that way, but from what I've read, the Catholic church encourages adult stem cell research, and opposes embryonic stem cell research because the embryo - human life - is destroyed in the process.)

What do you do with a disease that just won't go away? Some look for miracles, and a miracle-worker; some look to science and research - but they're both looking for the same thing - someone to make the disease go away. From what I've read in His Word, I would humbly submit...they're both missing the point.

God, in His holiness, in all of His glory, is an awesome, powerful God. Of course, He is able to heal. But He does not promise healing - not in this world. He does promise, however, to be with us - every step of the way. And healing will come - for some, it may come on earth - but for those who are His children, in His heavenly kingdom, the promise is that we will be made new. The old things will pass away. The disease will be gone.

Many people will scoff at this - "It's just all a bunch of baloney. Only uneducated, ignorant fools believe such stuff - you can only believe what science proves." Well, I can't prove that God exists. I can't prove that He created the world. I can't prove that Jesus Christ, God's Son, came to this world, lived a sinless life, died on the cross as payment for the sins of the world, and rose again, triumphant over death. I can't prove the existence of the Holy Spirit, who God's Word says dwells in every child of His.

But I believe it.

There are lots of people smarter than me, but I'm not uneducated. I may be ignorant about some things, but I'm not "ignorant" in a general way. I study His Word, and the more I study - the more I believe it - all of it. In spite of everything that's going on with PD, and all the other trials and tribulations of living in this world... I have a joy and a peace in my heart that I know is not from me. It is His joy and His peace that He promised to those who believe in Him - it is His Spirit that is the source. It is like living water flooding my soul - and Jesus is that living water. It is an eternal, never-ending supply.

Praise be to His name!

So what do you do with a disease that just won't go away?

You take His hand, and take the next step - knowing that He will be there for every one, and that He will lead us all the way...home.


"Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen."
Jude 24-25