Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering: Intro

 

 God knows. He knows what we need and when we need it. Five days after hearing that I was going to probably need radiation therapy for my brain tumor, this book shows up in my mailbox. I am a regular supporter of the Love God Greatly ministry, so I receive their studies automatically and I didn't know in advance what it would be. Turns out, this one is a repeat (which they do occasionally). Turns out, God put everything together just right so that I would have the study I needed, when I needed it.

 Radiation therapy brings a whole host of suffering with it. Exhaustion. Not just tiredness, bone-weary exhaustion. I remember that from after my brain surgeries. My body was so worn out that it literally couldn't stay awake for more than 20 minutes straight. Falling asleep sitting up wasn't just possible, it was the norm. Nausea. My worst enemy. I've said over and over, I'll take pain and migraines over nausea. Well, in this case I may not have to choose, I'll likely get both 😝. Then there's the vertigo. That's been the symptom my team attributes most to my tumor (along with the nausea), which means that as inflammation develops in my brain from the radiation at the tumor point, that is most likely to increase drastically. I've had to start using a cane to help me stay upright, the world tends to spin a lot for me, but thus far I have not fallen all the way to the ground. I've lost my balance a tipped a fair number of times, but I've always been able to catch myself before going all the way down. I'd love that level to hold, but there is no assurance of that. And then there's the weight of being a burden to my family, of them having to take up my slack and do all my work, alongside all of theirs, alongside the extra of having to care for me.

  

 Suffering sucks, but then if it was fun, it wouldn't be suffering, would it? You know the phrase, "Misery loves company" though? It's very true! My great joy in my suffering up to this point has been the knowledge that I am not alone in it, my precious Savior is right there with me. None of my suffering could begin to compare to what He suffered for me. He knows my pain. He knows my hurt. He knows my sorrow. He is with me in all of it. I am not alone. 

 For the next four weeks we'll be looking at what the Bible has to say about Trusting God in the Midst of Suffering. The weeks' topics include: remembering truth, learning to lament, turning to trust, and choosing to praise. In preparation for a season where I'll likely not be writing as much, I'm going to start spacing out the publishing of my posts to being about three a week, and building up a bit of a stockpile. Because of that, this post will actually be posted a week or two after the study has officially begun on the LGG Facebook group, but you're welcome to jump in at any time if you're interested!

Here's the Thing: Having this study be announced right after I received news of my tumor's growth, and then to have it begin early, with only a one-week break as opposed to the standard two-week break, can only be God's timing. I trust Him for it and know beyond the shadow of a doubt that He is with me in my suffering, and will be with you as well!