Yesterday my Fiance (who I do not need to say is beautiful, because you already know that from previous posts) were discussing a struggle she had been having recently with God. In her eyes she was upset because God did not heal her disability, and she was distancing herself from God because of it. Having gone through a similar struggle myself – I thought it may be wise to start a discussion on here regarding it.I think anyone who goes through a christian walk with a disability goes through similar things, “Why won’t God heal me?”, “Why did God allow me to be this way?” “Why is everyone else better than me?” To answer this question, Paul wrote beautifully in 2nd Cor (MSG):
“Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.”
As I looked at this more and more – the more I realized how God has used my disability as a gift to others, and myself. How has your disability been a gift to you?
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
God didn’t poison you stupid. The medical profession caused your disability. Stop blaming God, you ****ing idiot.
This comment has been moderated due to vulgar language
Mr. Best
Would you care to explain how the medical profession caused me to have Autism.
Sincerely,
***ing Idiot
Your realization that you have been a ****ing idiot is the first step on your road to recovery. Congratulations!
Please have a hair test for deranged mineral transport to determine if mercury may have caused your impaired mental capacity. That’s the next step. Good luck and check with me if you need more advice on how to proceed.
This comment has been moderated due to vulgar language
Mr Best,
I feel it is important to remind you that insults such as the ones you have just thrown out are not welcome at AspieWeb. This speech has been censored down to more appropriate levels.
If you wish to make further comments I ask that you do not attack individuals, or use vulgar language .
Thanks
Zach can correct me if I’m wrong, but I think his previous question was rhetorical and sarcastic – and brilliant in the process because every sane person knows how inaccurate and misleading the hair test is, and how Autism is genetic in origin.
I’m not Christian, but I do have a strong relationship with God. When I was 8, I had a full-blown mystical experience while walking down the street, with God/the universe/some truly powerful presence(s) flooding through me, and have never truly felt alone since then, no matter how badly people have treated me (and it has been bad). For some reason, perhaps due to that or due to some deeper instinct that has always been with me, I have known for as long as I can remember that I am perfect, because God is in me (as is true for everyone), and that my disability is the interaction between my own abilities/inabilities and society’s ability/inability to include me the way I am, rather than something basic to my nature.
In other words, the disability is caused by human failings (the inability to rise to the occasion), not God. We are part of God/the universe, not separate from it, and God/the universe is infected with perfection, so therefore so are we. It’s just the way it feels to me.
Though sometimes I get tired and forget all this. But then I remember again.
I generally don’t see my disability as a gift or a curse, just part of the landscape. Though the disabled members of my family tend to be nicer, because they’ve experienced more hardship and therefore know what it’s like themselves. So it can keep people from getting too arrogant or naive. But “it” is hardship, not disability per se. So I come full circle.
I wouldn’t theorize about it too much. I’d open myself up to God and just listen. Sometimes we ask the wrong questions, and miss the point. Hope this makes sense.
As a Christian mom with Fibro. and two autistic children, I find what you wrote very interesting. I do not believe God made disabled souls. I agree my Fibro has been a blessing in that it keeps me on my knees before Jesus
Stacy,
I don’t believe God made disabilities, but I do believe God can use them for good – and he clearly has in my life.
Exodus 4:11 God Speaks to Moses
11 The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”
But remember Jesus took away many afflictions. This was a good thing.
Jesus speaks to representatives of John the Baptist
Luke 7:32
“So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.”
This is the first blog I have really gotten into…it put a number of feelings through my mind and body. The first, from John Best, I found insulting and distasteful. I am a strong believer in Freedom of Speech; however, when directly and purposely insulting another human being I find it insulting. It served no purpose except to demonstrate ignorance.
As a teacher of special education children, specializing in autism, I find the information on the “cure” of autism most interesting. My opinion is as follows: I believe, as a teacher, we should strive to take any autistic child (the same as any other student) as far as we can during the school year. In my soon-to-be-released book, The Autism Handbook, I offer my belief on the “cure.” I simply feel that people like Jenny McCarthy are giving parents of autistic children false-hope.
I do not believe Ms McCarthy can determine 100%, that her son is cured. We all know that behaviors come and go; speech may go away forever; tantrums may disappear for years and, one sunny day, reappear. I hope I am wrong, however, in my experiences I have found this to be the case. I do not have any documented, scientific information that tells me autism can be cured. For heaven sakes, we cannot even determine what, specifically, causes autism, let alone offer.
Thanks for the feedback….
When will your book be available and where will it be sold?
Hi,
My book will be available the middle of July…it will be available in both English and Spanish so I am really excited about that. I am also excited that I have been invited to be the keynote speaker for the Second Annual Conference on Autism, in Baja California the end of July.
My book will be available on Amazon and all of the major sites…some bookstores…from the publisher, and, if interested, on my website (www.jackegeorge.com) I will be happy to sign it before it is mailed.
Thank you so much for asking!!!
Best wishes,
Jack
Jack George talks about how distasteful insulting others is to him yet he puts down and degrades his own nephiew, he tried to tell me how to raise my son yet he has never married or raised children, then when I tried to tell him how I use many of his ideas he came back with I am only make excuses..
This guy is lost and lives in mexico because he can get perscription drugs no questions asked..
He used to be my Uncle till he became a drug addict..
I also believe that the Lord uses disabilities for our good. My son has Aspergers, ADHD and Anxiety Disorder. While life for him and for the rest of the family can be a challenge, it is also a blessing. We’ve met so many wonderful people by being introduced to a world that we would not know without his disability.
Furthermore, as widely reported that blind people’s other senses are heightened, I can see this is the case with my son. He seems to have an incredible sense of the Lord, even at his young age. Often he’ll say or pray or write something that is profoundly simple.
Here is an example of one such case: http://justbecausemypickletalks.blogspot.com/2009/08/bedtime-prayer.html
Thanks for your blog!