Woe Is Me? Why Not Me

Aches and pains? One fact remains; we won’t be overlooked.
Not one of us exempt, you see… it seems, our “goose is cooked”.
Pain that sears, familiar tears, and every scar reminds me;
Yet sickness and disease don’t have to be that which defines me.
Body, mind and spirit – we all suffer from afflictions;
Fears and doubts, our pride wins out, diseases and addictions.
The option now before me is to choose how I will cope,
With anger and despair, or with expectancy and hope.
Some afflictions temporary, others can be lasting.
We all receive assignments from The One in charge of casting.
So now receive direction, for the role that you will play,
Are you to know defeat, or walk in victory today?
The body that is broken, and struggling in pain;
Still has the opportunity to glorify His name.
Perhaps instead of focusing on inability,
I could stop, and thank the Lord, for all He’s done for me.
The desire of my heart? Oh Lord, please make me more like You.
Conveniently forgetting, that Jesus suffered too.
Recall the sacrifice and suffering of the Blameless One, His own.
He hung upon a cross, though He belonged upon a throne.
He pleaded with the Father… “take from Me, this cup”.
And then, his Son so honored Him, by never giving up.
God’s sovereignty and power, at last would be revealed.
The resurrected Savior, by His stripes we would be healed.
Only in the climbing can we ever reach the top,
The victory’s not how fast we climb, but that we never stop.
Leading by example, for those with ears to hear it…
The struggle that reveals to them a still triumphant spirit.
The fruit that comes from suffering… won’t be found in the complaining,
It’s by His grace that we endure, our faith in Him remaining.
The enemy’s a liar… with cunning he destroys and steals.
The Father, with compassion and forgiveness, loves and heals.
The option now before me is to choose how I will cope…
With anger and despair… or with expectancy and hope.