Rather than doubting God, we need to trust Him. The more we trust in Him, the greater our hearts will fill with Him hope and peace. Our incurable diagnosis might look intimidating, but it will not endure forever. One day, this illness will be healed and we will be freed from it in Heaven. All of this is only because of God.

SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:

Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/
Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

Full Transcript Below:

Finding Hope in God after a Distressing Diagnosis

By Vivian Bricker

Bible Reading

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). 

Recently, I have been in and out of doctor’s appointments nonstop. Due to persistent pain and flu-like symptoms, I went to the doctor to try to get help and later had to go to the hospital. With all the symptoms I’m having and the tests that have been run, my doctors have come to the conclusion that I have an incurable diagnosis. What I first thought was a virus turned out to be my body attacking itself in a faulty autoimmune response. 

Sadly, this diagnosis will stay with me for the rest of my life as there is no cure. Thankfully there are medicines to alleviate pain and symptoms. Throughout the course of this illness and the long process of my diagnosis, I have had periods where my trust in God deepens as well as I have had times where I question His goodness. Sometimes we have to experience both of these things before we emerge on the other side. 

At first, my walk with God suffered due to my intense symptoms. I felt as though God had left me to the wolves and my lot in life was to suffer. During an intense episode of symptoms, I thought I might die of the pain and I reasoned with myself that I was ready to go. There have also been times where I prayed for God just to take my life because I was in so much pain and I wanted the pain to just end. 

As time has progressed, I have seen God in my pain. While He did not cause the pain, I know He is helping me through it. My symptoms have gotten better at times and this shows me God is working through the situation. Through continued prayers and petitions, I have acknowledged my dependence on Him. Even though He will not take me out of this situation, He will walk with me through this valley of death (Psalm 23). 

Most of the time we think about how much an incurable diagnosis has taken from us, but I try to think about the things it has given me. The things it has given me is a renewed love for things I once enjoyed and the opportunity to appreciate the little things in life. My incurable diagnosis has filled my life with new changes and sometimes I am too tired to even get to talk walks—something I once used to enjoy. 

However, on the days I feel good, these little blessings are all the greater. Being able to take an hour walk and feel good is a true blessing. I used to see exercise as a punishment to my body, but now I see it as a gift. Feeling good enough to go out for a walk, go for a hike, or run through a field are all gifts from the Lord.

It is funny how we take these things for granted when we are feeling well, yet we crave them when we are ill. When we face an incurable diagnosis, we start being thankful for these little things and these mighty wonders. What might be an everyday task for someone could be a blessing in disguise for someone with an incurable diagnosis. 

Each day is a gift, but sometimes our joy has to be taken away before we truly see its beauty. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

The Apostle Paul tells us, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). As Paul says here, God is the God of all hope, and He will fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in Him. All of this will ensure our hearts overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Whenever our incurable diagnosis has us feeling down, we need to turn to God. He can fill us with hope as we trust in Him. It can be hard to trust God with hard things, such as an incurable diagnosis, but we need to trust Him with all things. Although God doesn’t normally heal people supernaturally in the present day, there is no reason to believe that He won’t help us go into remission and fight our illnesses.

Rather than doubting God, we need to trust Him. The more we trust in Him, the greater our hearts will fill with Him hope and peace. Our incurable diagnosis might look intimidating, but it will not endure forever. One day, this illness will be healed and we will be freed from it in Heaven. All of this is only because of God.

Challenge Questions:
Is it hard for you to find hope in God during difficult times?
Are you facing an incurable diagnosis? How might you find hope in Him today?
Whether you have an incurable diagnosis or not, you can still take time to thank God for the little things. What might you thank Him for today?

“Dear God, coping with this incurable diagnosis has been very hard. Looking ahead, I only see pain, tears, and bitterness. I’m giving all of these fears over to You. I don’t know what will happen to me, but I trust in You. Please heal me and give my soul lasting peace. In Your Son’s Name, I pray, Amen.”  

Rather than doubting God, we need to trust Him. The more we trust in Him, the greater our hearts will fill with Him hope and peace. Our incurable diagnosis might look intimidating, but it will not endure forever. One day, this illness will be healed and we will be freed from it in Heaven. All of this is only because of God.
SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts: Your Daily Prayer: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/</a> Your Daily Bible Verse: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/</a>
Full Transcript Below:
Finding Hope in God after a Distressing Diagnosis
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). 
Recently, I have been in and out of doctor’s appointments nonstop. Due to persistent pain and flu-like symptoms, I went to the doctor to try to get help and later had to go to the hospital. With all the symptoms I’m having and the tests that have been run, my doctors have come to the conclusion that I have an incurable diagnosis. What I first thought was a virus turned out to be my body attacking itself in a faulty autoimmune response. 
Sadly, this diagnosis will stay with me for the rest of my life as there is no cure. Thankfully there are medicines to alleviate pain and symptoms. Throughout the course of this illness and the long process of my diagnosis, I have had periods where my trust in God deepens as well as I have had times where I question His goodness. Sometimes we have to experience both of these things before we emerge on the other side. 
At first, my walk with God suffered due to my intense symptoms. I felt as though God had left me to the wolves and my lot in life was to suffer. During an intense episode of symptoms, I thought I might die of the pain and I reasoned with myself that I was ready to go. There have also been times where I prayed for God just to take my life because I was in so much pain and I wanted the pain to just end. 
As time has progressed, I have seen God in my pain. While He did not cause the pain, I know He is helping me through it. My symptoms have gotten better at times and this shows me God is working through the situation. Through continued prayers and petitions, I have acknowledged my dependence on Him. Even though He will not take me out of this situation, He will walk with me through this valley of death (Psalm 23). 
Most of the time we think about how much an incurable diagnosis has taken from us, but I try to think about the things it has given me. The things it has given me is a renewed love for things I once enjoyed and the opportunity to appreciate the little things in life. My incurable diagnosis has filled my life with new changes and sometimes I am too tired to even get to talk walks—something I once used to enjoy. 
However, on the days I feel good, these little blessings are all the greater. Being able to take an hour walk and feel good is a true blessing. I used to see exercise as a punishment to my body, but now I see it as a gift. Feeling good enough to go out for a walk, go for a hike, or run through a field are all gifts from the Lord.
It is funny how we take these things for granted when we are feeling well, yet we crave them when we are ill. When we face an incurable diagnosis, we start being thankful for these little things and these mighty wonders. What might be an everyday task for someone could be a blessing in disguise for someone with an incurable diagnosis. 
Each day is a gift, but sometimes our joy has to be taken away before we truly see its beauty. 
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
The Apostle Paul tells us, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13). As Paul says here, God is the God of all hope, and He will fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in Him. All of this will ensure our hearts overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Whenever our incurable diagnosis has us feeling down, we need to turn to God. He can fill us with hope as we trust in Him. It can be hard to trust God with hard things, such as an incurable diagnosis, but we need to trust Him with all things. Although God doesn’t normally heal people supernaturally in the present day, there is no reason to believe that He won’t help us go into remission and fight our illnesses.
Rather than doubting God, we need to trust Him. The more we trust in Him, the greater our hearts will fill with Him hope and peace. Our incurable diagnosis might look intimidating, but it will not endure forever. One day, this illness will be healed and we will be freed from it in Heaven. All of this is only because of God.
Challenge Questions:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Is it hard for you to find hope in God during difficult times?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Are you facing an incurable diagnosis? How might you find hope in Him today?</li>
<li aria-level="1">Whether you have an incurable diagnosis or not, you can still take time to thank God for the little things. What might you thank Him for today?</li>
</ul>
“Dear God, coping with this incurable diagnosis has been very hard. Looking ahead, I only see pain, tears, and bitterness. I’m giving all of these fears over to You. I don’t know what will happen to me, but I trust in You. Please heal me and give my soul lasting peace. In Your Son’s Name, I pray, Amen.”

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.

Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:

☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It)
☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment
☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life
☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life
☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church
☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer
☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation
☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year

If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.
Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:
☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It) ☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment ☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life ☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life ☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church ☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer ☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation ☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year
If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/">https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.</a>

7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life.

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