Day 58
Scripture focus: . . . When they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. Exodus 4:31 NLT
In yesterday's devotional we said two key elements would be necessary for a suffering person to move from cyclical to productive suffering: community and an acceptance of a new life without circumstantial escape. As far as we know at this moment, bi-polar disorder is a chronic condition that is managed, not cured. This isn't news families particularly rejoice over. But it is also true that tons of people live with chronic conditions every day: diabetics, addicts, survivors of abuse, cancer patients, the arthritic, chronic pain suffers, and countless other conditions that have no magic "cure" - but can be treated, managed, and even used to produce all sorts of perseverance, character, and patience in the lives of the labeled and those that love them.
But we must face the facts: there are some circumstances from which there is no escape hatch. That does not mean there is no hope. For those with the gift of chronic conditions that could potentially produce cyclical suffering - our spirituality may ultimately provide a pathway to peace - without a miraculous healing. In Engelmann's chapter called "Allowing God to Mold Us" (Running In Circles, pp. 89-106) she offers some questions to guide someone in the middle of a situation that provides no circumstantial escape. I'm going to reframe them into some principles that I think could guide us in finding our freedom, not from our circumstances, but from our bondage to our circumstances.
In the appropriate time, as one gains mastery of their own mind and heart in the midst of suffering, it will be possible to find a way to serve others. This can't be a first step in the process - or else we won't really have the stamina and resources to be truly helpful - but it is a potential for us if we step through our circumstances appropriately.
In any chronic case of suffering, it's important to find outlets for creative expression. Some things might be terrible today, but not all things. Maybe you need to slip away from your circumstances and take an art class. This isn't escape-ism; it's called taking a break!
I know that a miraculous cure when none was predicted might get us fifteen seconds of fame on the nightly news; but let's not forget that sometimes miracles come wrapped in quieter packages - bringing hope to families wrapped in strange gifts. I pray that we be alert to those miraculous interventions in our lives, and the lives of those we love.
Recommended reading: Leviticus 21 and 22 in the morning; Mark 9 and Psalm 42 in the evening
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