Painfilled Days

I’m really suffering this year and we haven’t even had Thanksgiving yet. I’m having family over for Thanksgiving and Christmas and CRPS has already taken a toll on me. We are cleaning and preparing, and my feet are just about killing me. CRPS makes being thankful difficult.

I always try to stay positive. There are even times (when I’m not in horrific pain) I can say that I’m thankful for having CRPS, because it has made me a better, stronger person. I know that without the CRPS my life would have been very different. I would have sailed through my career, doing things I wanted to do, and I would not have slowed down enough to hear from God on the subject. I would have been working my own plan out for my life, rather than God’s plan for my life. That’s a fact, I have no doubt.

So, it’s been better for me to have the CRPS from that perspective. I still suffer greatly though and really have to take to heart what the Bible says about suffering and pain in order to keep going. The Bible says that if we are to suffer, we do it for Christ sake.

For God has graciously given you the privilege not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for him.

— Philippians 1:29, The Passion Translation

…and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

Being thankful for CRPS is hard, but it’s possible. I encourage you to see CRPS as a force that has made you a better person. Can you?

Just thinking,

Jana

P.S.: It’s taken me years to get to this point of gratitude for CRPS. Many years.