Feeling Helpless

“This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

As I write this morning, our community is experiencing major flooding. We wait as flood waters rise, and pray for those in the path of the torrents.  Helplessness is a feeling experienced by many today as we wait and watch.  For me, helplessness is a different challenge in this flood. Back four years ago when massive flooding hit our town, our family reached out and helped as we could, mucking out a church and a business, driving to check on neighbors and friends, and cooking meals for those who were working flood relief. Today I cannot physically do any of these things. 

For many of us fighting illness, our physical and even mental abilities to help others has changed. What may have been second nature before—to head out the door with a bucket, gloves and bleach—is no longer possible. Our generous and giving hearts remain, but the old ways of helping fail us now.

So what do we do?  One thing I’ve learned from my step-mother-in-law who has been a fighter of MS for over 15 years is to never give up.  Don’t give in to the helplessness feelings, even if that means fighting to move your legs just one more time in therapy, or making the choice to hold onto hope today even when hope seems far away.

For me, this blog is a way of fighting back against feeling helpless.  Helplessness is an attitude, not a state of being.  My friends Lisa and Emily and the late Dayle,  facing enormous physical obstacles, have humbled me over and over again with their generous and fighting spirits.  They inspired me to find a way to minister with others, even though POTS has blocked me from traditional ways of ministry.

I chose today’s bible verse, because I think it is a hopeful verse. Rejoice is a verb, an action…not just an emotion.  I used to think that I thanked God for each day because I was grateful for it, now I realize that no matter what pain, struggle or obstacle I face, if I choose to rejoice and thank God for each day it helps me to have gratitude and to find hope for each day to come.

Today I challenge us all to make the choice to fight against feelings of helplessness. I’m physically not able to do much today, (more on those days tomorrow…) but today I choose to rejoice and praise God for another day of life.    How will you fight back against helplessness and hopelessness  today? You never know who you may inspire by your attitude and choices.  May God bless your choice, and may God bless you today~

Dear God, you have given us life and a new day. No matter what flood waters or floods of pain or emotion we may feel today, help us to fight helplessness. We pray that through Your work in us, You may inspire others to have hope.  Amen.