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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: BUG (04/06/17)
With a little sense of pride, I marveled at how I managed to resist catching any of the seasonal diseases that the come around every year. This is quite a feat considering I am a cashier at a grocery store, faced with all kinds of coughs and sneezes coming my way as customers pass through my line all day long. Next to the weather, the hottest topics are how sick the kids are, how severe their cold is or was, and when they made their next doctor appointment. With spring here, I concluded, I am home free for this year when, ‘Wham-0’ – Satan hits me with the flu bug!

Wouldn’t you know it, right in the middle of the night, I begin making trips to the bathroom with the worst diarrhea I’ve ever had, followed by a few throwing-up episodes. Not knowing for sure which end to point toward the toilet first, I knew either way I would be cleaning up a mess. I quit counting my hurried trips to the bathroom after ten and began praying for God’s help to make it through the night.

So, why am I telling you all this! I guess it bothers me that we so radially accept most of the diseases thrown our way, as if it is something we should expect. What bothers me even more is the way we ‘brag’ how terrible and how long we suffered through our misery, as if it is something to be proud of.

Yes, I know we often use illness as a way of getting people to sympathize with us and get some much-needed attention. However, do we need to testify so much about the enemy’s accomplishments?

I am not trying to make light of the pain people may be going through. In fact, I am trying to help people see that God does not want us to suffer. Jesus spent a great amount of time healing the sick during His ministry. He had compassion on those who were suffering. Instead, I would like to see more Christians resist illnesses at the first sign of any symptoms. Then they can praise God for keeping them well or helping them get well quickly.

I accentuated my illness here to get your attention. The fact is, my bout with the flu only lasted a few hours. I slept through the next day and night and got some good rest. The day after that, I went back to work with hardly any symptoms left over. God had answered my prayer.

I, for one, am determined to downplay any illness the enemy catches me off guard on, and continue to praise God more for his intervention in giving me a fast recovery. Better yet, I ‘m thanking Him for helping me resist any and every illness that should come my way. God’s Word tells us to “resist the devil and he will flee( James 4:7).” I believe the more we resist being sick, the less we will be susceptible to any disease being inflicted upon us.

I am ready for the next winter season, and the next time the devil tries to hit me with the flu, I’m just going to tell him to ‘bug off’.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Larry Whittington
04/20/17
I did see an extra word or two. Read it slowly - word for word and see if you find them.

You are right about our attitudes affect on staying healthy.

One other way to think of your situation is to ask yourself, "What did God save me from at work on the days I was sick?" God's ways are mysterious. Or was God just wanting you or your family members to have a little trial to learn how important you are to the family.

Sometimes God's ways are past finding out.

Nice writing.