choices about pain

My friend Donna sent this in...

Healing power would be a wonderful gift to have. Jesus healed many people, but does He heal everyone? We tend to seek physical healing from our ailments, and one time, years ago (I was about 32 at the time), I decided to trust and pray for physical healing from the rheumatoid arthritis that was causing excruciating pain and rapidly destroying my joint mobility. I stopped taking the medicine that was only marginally helping at the time and only prayed. My experiment only lasted a few weeks and left me both physically and emotionally devastated. Nothing changed for the better and I could no longer tolerate the physical pain.
But....
The Lord did not leave me there to suffer. The joint replacements began at age 35, first both knees, two years later both shoulders and both elbows. Another two years and my left hip was replaced, followed by my right ankle two years after that. Some time later my neck needed fusing to stop nerve damage that was threatening, and after that my right knee needed to be re-replaced. Plus, the medication I had been taking for several years suddenly began to give me painful stomach ulcers, which meant I had to stop that treatment and find another solution.
But....
This period of physical downtime gradually gave me the awareness of the greater healing God longed for me to receive, and the result was life changing. During those years of surgery and therapy and recovery with its medical limitations, I began to see that while I may not have control over RA and the control it was having on my body, I did have the powerful option of choosing how I was going to live my life in spite of it. Someone once said, “pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.” Read that again, slowly. “pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.”  I had lots of downtime to inspect my attitude and used this time for meditating with my Father, receiving His Word, guidance, and strength.
And I was Blessed....
One of my favorite volunteer “jobs” was visiting patients in the hospital who were having joint replacement surgery. It made me feel good to be their supporter and experienced (bionic) encourager. I certainly would never have chosen to go through all that I have, but I feel so blessed because God has used my trials to help others. He could have physically healed me, but He chose me for something more. What a wonderful, merciful, gracious God we have. Does God heal everyone? I tend to believe that He does if/when we allow Him to show us His greater plan. So much in this life is painful and beyond our doing anything about.
But....
God has made sure to give us the powerful option of choice.

It's a beautiful day in God's world be sure to see the good.
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I am leading some trips this year and next. If you are interested in reading about them, or joining in, the links are below.....

Paris-Normandy River Cruise
October 23-31, 2019
http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/tours/rc19102319x17768#.W3avNFJK3cs

Holy Land Trip leaving January 20, 2020 $2998 from New York
http://www.eo.travelwithus.com/files/uploads/HL20A-2.pdf