For my team, outreach came with a lot of sickness. Amoebas and other parasites wreaked havoc on most of our bodies. Several of my team members ended up in the hospital and we ended up leaving Haiti and returning to the Dominican Republic over two weeks early because of all the health issues.
As challenging and frustrating as the sickness was, God used it to teach me something big.
Psalm 91 has been a Psalm I have clung to for many years, yet at the same time it has caused me to ask a lot of questions.
Protection from harm.
Protection from disaster.
He promised these things to those who love Him and acknowledge His name.
So then why do the terrible things happen?
Why did my team get sick?
Why did I get cancer?
Where is His defense and protection in the midst of things like sickness?
I had been asking God for a long time to show me what it means to be safe in Him even when it doesn't seem like we are.
When Cassie, my leader, got extremely sick the first time and had to go to the hospital, I sat down and asked God what He was saying about the whole situation. This is part of what He said:
"...I always count the cost. If it is greater than the gain I do not allow it. I will always protect. If it was not beneficial I would not allow it because that is not in My character. You do not see all that is at work here so do not jump to any conclusions regarding this sickness.... Fire does not come without refinement."
In that moment that He was speaking to me about what was happening to my leader, I realized that the same was true regarding my own health situation.
His promises are true.
Love always protects.
Jesus always protects.
Even though it seems that something like cancer is harmful, I know that in the long run it is for my benefit, for the benefit of others, and for the Glory of God.
This leads me to my next posting...
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