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The body loses parts of itself regularly, but they are quickly replaced. What about losing parts that are not replaced?
Many people have experienced the loss of body parts or loss of function of the parts they do have. This seems disastrous.
My aunt lost her hand and arm in a washing machine.
Joni Erickson Tada lost function of much of her body after a swimming accident.
A friend had ALS. He lost all bodily functions except eye blinks.
I have lost most of my teeth due to an autoimmune illness. I lost an eye after a corneal perforation.
And there are many others who have lost parts or functions of the body. As I have attempted to deal with what I called a significant loss, God has corrected my language repeatedly.
He reminds me it is His Body and He will care for it.
He reminds me I am not entitled to keep anything He removes.
He reminds me He works everything together for good. This does not mean that each step will look good to me, but I can be confident He will use everything for my good and the good of others.
He reminds me He has a Plan for me and all whose lives I will touch. I may not understand His Plan, but I can be confident He has a Good Plan.
He does not call what has happened to us “loss.” He calls it change. My Life has changed. His Goodness and Mercy have not.
He has never left me or forsaken me. He never will. He is with me always.
And so He tells me, “We can acknowledge things have changed. But now what do you have to give Me?”
He has reminded me of the many throughout The Bible who thought they had nothing left to give. And yet when they gave all they had, He made it so much more.
My aunt developed severe arthritis in her other hand. But she continued to teach and encourage others every day of her life.
Joni has ministered to thousands, maybe millions, from her wheelchair.
My friend with ALS continued to publish a regular blog called Unshakable Hope right up to days before The Lord healed him completely by escorting him to Heaven.
And I, while not completely accepting of my situation, continue on the journey. I smile from my heart, unhindered by the barrier of teeth.
I eat my grits and drink my milkshakes and thank God for them.
I am very thankful to be able to see and continue to write.
God continues to use The Body I get to share with Him. He sometimes changes how He plays His Song through this instrument of praise, but He never misses a note.
It is still His Song to compose and still His to sing. I just have to learn to sing in harmony with Him.
Paul said,
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.
We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that The Life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. “
2 Corinthians 4:8-10
