My Ultimate Comfort in Good Times and Bad

I have written two things here:  how I have felt since yesterday, which could be chalked up to how the brain chemicals work in those of us who have FM and CFS.  However, there is a comfort that underlies everything in my life, which I feel I must share.  Why?  Because, I care about what happens to you.  I cannot be there or carry everyone's load;  however, there is someone who can.

I would love to have you join my friends at Holley Gerth's (holleygerth.com) for our Wednesday link-up. There is lots of super encouragement for everyone.

June is here:  four days into it already.  Have you been planning how you can manage through the hot weather and vacations?  Or, maybe this is the time of year, family comes to visit you.  There are so many things to think about.

The last couple of days I have felt this little underlying frisson of anxiety.  Healthcare is becoming more difficult, because it seems the people we pay want me to jump through more hoops to satisfy their requirements.  That gets to me;  and if I were a doctor or one of his assistants that call these things in or send them in, I would probably not appreciate the extra work.

Moreover, I am thinking of the things I want to do and have not gotten to.  Who and when will we visit certain people, or when will they visit us?  And. then there are the things I want to do around here:  projects inside and outside.

However, when one slows down and thinks of what really matters.  First, he or she needs to realize anxiety can be quelled.  One of my favorite Bible verses is Philippians 4:6-7.

 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (NIV)   

The truth is I have not been spending enough time doing exactly what this verse says.  I also find I am calmer when I spend time reading God's word, the Bible, as well as praying.   

 I know some of you may not believe as I do;  and, that is something you are free to do -- to not believe.  God does not force any of us to believe in Him or His Son;  however, He is waiting.  The door is open for all who believe that Jesus died on the cross, paid for their sins, and He arose from the dead.  I guess you are surprised to hear such an open invitation.  And that is because I feel I would be remiss if I did not openly share  the door that opens to God and Heaven.  Someday, that is something we all face -- just as we are born into this world, we go out of this world.  There is no fear for the faithful, for those that truly know Jesus.  It has nothing to do with us doing good deeds or being good enough.  None of us can be good enough. 

I just read a wonderful article from The Word Is Near You by  Anastasios Kioulachoglou:

"His Word is not a puzzle. They didn’t [ You don't] have to go up to the heaven or over the sea to find it. They didn’t [ you don't ]  have to become ponderous or professors of theology to understand it. It was very close, in their mouth and heart. And these are the words, the Spirit of God uses to speak about the faith in the incarnate Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. You do not need to turn heaven and earth upside down to find the salvation. You do not need to go over the sea. You do not need to become heavy with much knowledge in order to understand what you should do. The Word of God is near you. In your mouth and in your heart. And this is summed up in the following phrase: 'that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved' The word of salvation is simple, as simple as the above phrase. There is no need for heavy studies, for pursuits in theology and religions. There is no need of knowledge of special things for which only some have the key and you have to go out and search for them. None of this is needed. It is simply you and God. God has called you. He has called you to confess Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that He has raised Him from the dead. You now have to make a decision whether you will follow, you will believe, this so near word of faith. These are not things far or difficult or mysterious. They are very near you. The salvation is so near you as your heart for the faith and your mouth for the confession. And as the Word of God exhorts: II Corinthians 6:2"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.' "