Jen’s Gem: God’s promises are “Yes” and “Amen.”

A few days ago an orthopedic hand surgeon informed me that the pain in my hands was not carpal tunnel syndrome. As he described the symptoms, my response to his questions was a resounding “no.” This is good news – great news actually. Hand surgery was not on my list of 2021 goals.

He noted that my discomfort was likely a repetitive stress injury and sent me on my way with recommendations for physical therapy and a stress ball. He also offered to write me a prescription for an anti-inflammatory. I declined and left the office empty-handed (hee hee!) and slightly perturbed.

I wanted an answer. I wanted a cure. I wanted the hour of my life back that was wasted. I got none of these. Even the doctor’s good looks could not squelch my disappointment and frustration. I suppose I could try his recommendations and purchase a stress ball or alternate keyboard, but given that he wasn’t sold on these options, it did not exactly instill confidence in me. My monies can be better used elsewhere.

Maybe my hands are rebelling and longing for a rest. Perhaps these trusty appendages are just aching to head to Aruba or Italy and hold something other than a mouse. Can you blame them? Yeah, me either.

As I write this post, I am hearing Mick Jagger singing, “You can’t always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you get what you need.” Why a Rolling Stones song is in my head at the crack of dawn is beyond me but the fact is – the statements are true. We don’t always get what we want. We do always get what we need.

While I left the doctor’s office without what I wanted. I got what I needed – a reminder that I need to do something else repetitively in order to heal my hands. Pray.
“Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24 NKJV)
It is not God’s will for my hands to hurt. It is not His will that I’m prevented from doing my freelance writing work so I can support my family. What is His will? That I be healed and whole. That my hands work as He designed them.

I had to remind myself of this several times after that doctor visit. I had to speak truth about God’s will for  me. My Father in heaven is all about healing, wholeness, and strength. There’s no weakness or pain or repetitive stress injuries anywhere on His body. It’s impossible.

When Jesus died on the cross, He took on all of our sicknesses and healed them. Don’t believe me? Check out the verse below from First Peter (emphasis mine). What are the second to last words? You WERE healed. Were – that’s past tense my friend. It’s a done deal. 

“…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24 NKJV)

It is because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross that you and I can claim this promise of healing. This is further proof of what I said earlier. It is not God’s will for you to be sick. It is His will that you are healed. (Click to Tweet.)

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases.” (Psalm 103:2-3 NKJV)

If there’s anything you and I should be “repetitively stressing” these days, it’s not our injuries. It’s the promises of God over our lives. We live in precarious times. Our ability to weather these storms depends entirely on who we choose to trust. For a moment, I put my trust in the handsome doctor until I was reminded of this faulty placement. I’ve since course corrected and am thanking God for the healing in my hands.

What promise of God do you need to take a hold of this week? Healing? Finances? Job? Wayward child? Fear? Relationships? Let me encourage you to stop stressing about your injuries and start speaking about your healings.

Now that’s worth repeating.