Fighting against Rheumatoid Arthritis -Part 1

Recently, I read a book written by Dr. David Yonggi Cho on 'The Fourth Dimension', volume one. You know, I seldom read and I hate reading because it puts me to sleep and the only publication that fascinates me are magazines. Thank God for His grace and mercy that I had read this book with the same amount of interests, if not more like I do magazines. There is a part in this book that talks about ridding ourselves of the four sins of the flesh mainly, the sin of hatred, the sin of fear, the sin of inferiority and the sin of guilt so that God's blessings can flow through us. I yearn for God's healing for my RA and for his protection over my entire household from this disease.

a)The sin of Hatred

I could see it in my father, mother, sister and even myself and it was quite dominant in me in my younger days. Believe it or not, this could be a sin that has been passed down from generation to generation and thank God that He has provided a way out for my household since that day when all my family members accepted Christ into our lives. However, I still constantly need to ask God for help in releasing forgiveness for people who has hurt or wrong me intentionally or unknowingly.

b)The sin of Fear

Yes, I do have a lot of fear which I need to surrender to God. Fear of old age, death, loneliness, poor health, savings and care for my love ones when they are old, rejection, incompetence, marriage etc. (2 Tim 1:7)

c)The sin of Inferiority

I had befriended inferiority since young and it could be due to my upbringing, family background, genes etc. I seldom talked in school since my primary school days for fear of being reprimanded for any mistakes made but I would be commended in my report card for displaying good conduct as I was a quiet little girl. I had low self esteem and always felt that I was not good enough and that explains why I always play second fiddle to another person in many things but when opportunity arises, I became anxious and lacked the confidence to take up the challenge. I seldom speak in a big group setting as I felt my words would not be taken seriously. God has changed me over the years and He is still changing me. I am created in His image (Genesis 1:7), so I should carry myself with dignity and pride.

d)The sin of Guilt

I feel guilty easily over the words I have spoken, things I have done or the way I have reacted as I tend to think I am wrong and others are right.

Application

I make it a habit to surrender my sins to God everyday so that I can experience His healing power in me.

My Encounter with Rheumatoid Arthritis

I first heard about RA in 2005 when my mum contracted this disease. I did not do much reading on RA then as I thought my mum would recover by diligently seeking medical attention from specialist. Her medical fees were expensive as she needed to go for injection quite frequently on top of the oral medication she required to take. Her condition got better for a while but deteriorated until she was called home to be with the Lord and the whole process took about a year though I must admit that she could have developed RA way before she told us as she was a strong woman with high pain tolerance. She developed breathlessness towards the later stage and even had to see a lung specialist. She was hospitalized for a month due to lung infection (one week in normal ward and the last three weeks in ICU) before she left us for a better place.

My nightmare began in Jan 2010 when I was diagnosed with RA and having seen what my mum went through, I was discouraged and loss. Why do I need to reopen a dreadful chapter that I had long closed? I refused to accept it and kept asking God why?I started reading alot on RA and instead of helping me, I felt even more unease especially when they mentioned the many side effects each type of medicine would bring. I confess I do not pin much hope in doctors after my mum's incident nevertheless, I needed medical attention for my RA, quite a dilemma. To play safe, I requested for milder medication but they did not react well in my body and finally I had to take that type my mum used to be prescribed with. Currently, I am four months into this medicine and personally I am also following a diet that comprises more of vegetables, beans and fruits which I read that would supposedly bring benefits to people having arthritis.

Due to the medicine I am taking, I have to go for blood test frequently. Thank God that all my blood tests results so far are ok except for my haemoglobin which tend to fall beneath the standard range. Though in medical point of view, RA is a chronic disease, I believe there must be a way to conquer it or at least have control over it not just by means of medication. I believe some of you out there may have invaluable experiences that I could learn from and that people suffering from RA could benefit from.

Apart from diet, medication, appropriate exercises, I believe prayer is fundamental and essential in bringing healing. I will continue to pray and believe God for deliverance (James 15:13-18).