I’m Getting Up…Again!
I’m Getting Up…Again!
In late May of 2019, I wrote and shared this with my friends on Facebook. It seemed to resonate with many, so I thought I'd share it here.
(Note: This post appeared first on Sharon’s old website, SharonOutlawHillam.com.)
Last night while getting ready for bed, I discovered a small cyst or ulcer-like protrusion in my groin area. Obviously, I was startled and a bit alarmed. David prayed for me, and while he was praying I was reminded that sometimes I have small mouth ulcers that “pop up” out of the blue (and they always go away after 2-3 days). That helped lessen my concern, but not before buckets of cortisol (stress hormone) had been released into my body.
How do I know this? Let’s just call it a really good guess. In fact, I would go so far as to say it was an educated guess based on a book I read recently, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert M. Sapolsky.
In the book, Sapolsky explains that anytime you experience chronic stress (i.e. constant; recurring frequently and over a long period of time)—and I have—you then find that you come to the place where it only takes a tiny amount to send you over the top. And in my case, it ALWAYS affects my sleep.
Oh, and if that weren’t bad enough, guess what? Aging makes it worse. {sigh}
I normally don’t have a problem going to sleep, but last night was not normal. So at around 3:30 this morning I decided to get up and do what I do when I’m overly distressed (at not being able to sleep; not so much the physical issue): pray and listen for a “word” of comfort, help, strength…SOMETHING from the Lord.
When I opened my WORDsearch software on my pc, this was the daily devotional from Faith’s Checkbook by C. H. Spurgeon:
Song of Confidence
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me. Psalm 138:7 (AMPC)
Wretched walking in the midst of trouble. Nay, blessed walking, since there is a special promise for it. Give me a promise, and what is the trouble? What doth my Lord teach me here to say? Why this “Thou wilt revive me.” I shall have more life, more energy, more faith. Is it not often so, that trouble revives us, like a breath of cold air when one is ready to faint?
How angry are my enemies and especially the arch-enemy! Shall I stretch forth my hand and fight my foes? No, my hand is better employed in doing service for my Lord. Besides, there is no need, for my God will use His far-reaching arm, and He will deal with them far better than I could if I were to try. “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” He will with His own right hand of power and wisdom save me, and what more can I desire?
Come, my heart, talk this promise over to thyself till thou canst use it as the song of thy confidence, the solace of thy loneliness. Pray to be revived thyself, and leave the rest with the Lord, who performeth all things for thee.
As I went back to bed (and eventually asleep after maybe another hour or so), what I kept saying to myself was, “You will revive me.”
You may be wondering why I decided to share all this. I debated. In fact, I almost didn’t. But then I decided that maybe…just maybe one of my friends might need to know that you aren’t the only one who struggles with chronic stuff that frequently knocks you off your feet.
I know that most of what I share here on FB is quite energetic and upbeat. I sound like I’m UP all the time. But the truth is, I’m not.
This was in my morning devotional email from Bob Gass: “…the righteous as well as the unrighteous fall. So be like the lady who said, ‘I’m never down. I’m either up, or I’m getting up!’”
So there you go. To sum up: I’m getting up!
And if you haven’t already, be sure and check out the really short and cute post I shared earlier this morning from GrammarBook entitled What’s Up with Up?
Does anyone see a theme here?
Cheers!
Special Notice: We do not use affiliate links. The links and footnotes we provide are for copyright reasons, for citing references, and for your convenience only.C. H. Spurgeon, "May 22", in The Cheque Book of the Bank of Faith: Being Precious Promises Arranged for Daily Use with Brief Comments (New York: American Tract Society, 1893), Logos Research Edition e-book.