Spiritual Disciplines: The First 2 Days

On Wednesday night I stated that I was going be faithful in my spiritual disciplines. My thought was that God was going to make it smooth sailing. On the contrary, the waters have been quite rough. I take steroids on the same day that I get my chemotherapy. I should take them by lunch. I forgot to take them to school so I didn't take them until around 4PM. As a result, when I went to bed my eyes were wide open and my mind was racing. Velda came to bed a couple hours later and I was still wide awake. The chemotherapy can occasionally cause leg cramps. This was the night that I had cramps in various places from my knees down in both legs. I had to repeatedly get up and stretch to relieve me of the discomfort. If I slept at all, I don't remember. I know that the last time I looked at the clock it was 2 hours before my alarm was to go off. Normally in a situation like this I would not get up with the alarm. I tell myself that sleep is more important and will skip personal and family devotions. Why did this happen? The purpose was for the difficult night to be a proving ground for my faith (I Peter 1:7). Just as gold is tested and refined with fire, fiery trials are for the same purpose. Praise God I did not rationalize. On Thursday I got up, had my personal devotion, led our family devotion and taught a full school day. It was difficult but I would not have known the extent of my faith without that sleepless night before. But the trial continues. After school on Thursday I purchased products to change the oil in my car. On the way to my car I tripped and fell forward landing on my hands and knees. My back had been tight since shoveling snow last Monday. I had seen the chiropractor and had experienced moderate relief. When I fell I experienced a lot of pain. I got up anyway and changed the oil in spite of the pain and stiffness. Afterwards we iced my back the rest of the evening as prescribed by the chiropractor. Friday morning I sat up but could not get out of bed. I told Velda and we iced my back again. When she came to remove the ice pack I was unable to move without excruciating pain. We called the chiropractor and he said that he could come by 11:30. We called our oncologist's office and were told to call EMS. We called EMS. They gave me a narcotic painkiller. (my first narcotic!) Once it kicked in the pain was reduced enough so that I was able to walk out of the house on my own power. The bonus was that I got my first ride in an ambulance as well. In the emergency room I was given a muscle relaxant which took away the remainder of the pain. My back was x-rayed as a precaution to check for a fracture. All clear there. One disc in my spine looked a little compressed but the doctor said that if I could walk then it was a non-issue. I walked out quite easily and painlessly. Overlapping trials are tough. As stated in an earlier entry, We glory in our infirmities, trials, tribulations etc. (II Corinthians 12:7-11a) We count it all joy when experience trials. (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5) Why? It's because I try to keep in my mind the big picture. God wants others to see Christ in me. In order to do that He has to conform me to the image of Jesus. Sometimes it's like a potter with wet clay and I mold where he works somewhat easily. Sometimes it's like working with with precious metals or marble and the change is made with harsher methods. So when God brings fire or bangs on me with a hammer and chisel I rejoice through the pain because I know the end result will be that I "might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ".