“Try not to let me push your arm. Now try not to let me pull it towards me. Now squeeze my fingers as hard as you can. Can you feel this scratch on your thumb?”
All questions from the orthopedic doctor trying to determine if something was wrong with my shoulder. Conclusion was that the weakness in my arm was not coming from my shoulder but perhaps from degeneration of the vertebrae in my neck. An MRI will be needed.
Now for those of you who don’t know me, an MRI scares me to death. I am claustrophobic and small spaces make me start to hyperventilate. I’ve had MRI’s because of two shoulder surgeries but I’ve had to take meds to calm me down before I go into that tube of terror.
Dr. Rolf knows me well so he allowed me to try some anti-inflammatory meds to make sure it wasn’t just inflammation. Almost two weeks after that appointment and several days after the steroid pack, it’s no better.
My arm seems to be getting weaker every day so I am going to have to go into that big scary tube! I know it’s necessary because the weakness doesn’t allow me to use this arm and pick things up with any confidence at all.
As I was worrying about it this morning (along with all the other worries of the day), I opened my Bible to Isaiah 40:29-31: He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Just like the pinching of the nerves in my neck may be causing my arm to be weak, so does the pinching of worries in our lives cause our faith to lose strength.
There are doctors to help our physical weaknesses and there is a Great Physician to help us with our spiritual weakness. God, through His Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit can bring strength to the weak and hope to the hopeless.
I’m done worrying about the scary things of life. I can’t control people and I can’t control circumstances but God can and today, I ask the Doctor of Life to take away the pain of my worries and the hopelessness of my weakness and fill me with joy and strength.
Let’s strive to let God handle the weakness as we build up our spiritual strength by drawing closer to Him every minute through prayer and faithful living. I’m getting ready to go into that tube of terror called THE WORLD but I know that God is good and will help me find strength. Oh, and with a little help from some calming meds, I know I can take on that MRI tube of terror also!
