Venita McCart tells us, "Life as a limper isn’t considered a good thing, but is often a threshold to blessing.
"I am a crooked woman. I have missing ribs, two partially missing lungs and an altered shoulder.
All have an affect on my entire body. Radical cancer surgery has thrown me askew. I learned this was obvious when asked, 'Why are you limping?'
I don’t necessarily want to struggle with one-sided weakness for my lifetime but I’m reminded of Jacob, the struggler-turned-patriarch.
At birth, he grabbed his twin’s heel, later took his birthright and blessing, fled from home, then was deceived and chased by his uncle.
Eventually at the threshold of the Promised Land, he grabbed onto the Lord’s wrestling man and wouldn’t let go, struggling until he could fight no more.
His hip was wrenched. When he walked away he was limping.
The Lord let go of Jacob’s leg but kept a hold on his heart.
Eventually Jacob didn’t make a move without the approval of God. Their relationship became essential to his life.
His name was changed to Israel, and he became the father of the twelve tribes. At the end of his life, he leaned on his staff and bowed in worship.
Life as a limper isn’t considered a good thing, but is often a threshold to blessing.
When my pain kept stabbing and my limp kept hindering, I just kept reaching for a stronger hold on God.
He didn’t remove the pain or limp, but took a tighter hold on me. My life didn’t change based on whether or not I limped.
My life changed because God took a tighter hold on my heart. I stopped struggling.
So it’s okay with me to be a crooked woman. The struggle is over. Now when asked why I’m limping, I smile and say, 'Thank you for noticing. It belongs to God.'
At the end of my life I will lean on the staff of God’s protection and worship Him.
For now, I’m glad to practice exactly that, here on earth.
Are you wrestling with God and cancer? Is your faith shaky, injured, or thrown off balance? Grab on, hold on tight, pray. Read God’s word. Worship. Learn to limp well, my friend.
Cherish the blessing."
"…and he was limping because of the injury to his hip". Genesis 32:31
Venita McCart, founder of Faith Force Cancer Support Ministries has, with her group, ministered to hundreds of patients since 2005 through group meetings, personal contacts, writing, and speaking. A cancer survivor herself, Venita is currently working on materials to comfort and encourage cancer patients, their loved ones and to help others create support ministries for same.
She and her husband live in central Illinois. Venita may be reached at venitamccart@yahoo.com
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Read Ventia’s devotions.Limps and Blessings – Venita McCart
Today’s treasure truth #11: If you are “born again”, you are led by the Spirit of God. (Rom. 8:14)
Our thought for today: Anytime we go higher, our flesh has to go lower.
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