I recently ran across a post by Chad Prather. Chad is an American commentator, comedian, speaker, and entrepreneur known for blending humor, cultural commentary, and faith-driven conviction into social media and his performances. With success in stand-up comedy, he’s now become a social media phenomenon by delivering sharp, common sense takes on faith, politics, culture, and personal responsibility.
I had never heard of Chad Prather until I ran across his post. It was a prayer. His words spoke to me. I’ll share the prayer below and then I’ll explain why his words hit so intimately with me.
His prayer said:
Father, establish my steps in Christ. Align my heart with Your purpose. Let every delay become preparation and let every trial produce endurance and deeper trust in You. I ask you to redeem what has been lost, restore what has been broken, and lead me into the fullness of the calling You have placed on my life. Let Jesus be glorified in all things! Amen
The part of this prayer that stood out to me were the words “let every trial produce endurance and deeper trust in You….” and “lead me into the fullness of the calling You have placed on my life.”
With Myasthenia Gravis, or any chronic condition, it’s hard to comprehend how anything positive can come out of it. We’re human. We focus on what MG has taken away, what it prevents us from doing, and how it may affect us in the future. We become so absorbed in those three things that we are unable to think of anything else. In fact, we often wonder why God has allowed this to occur.
I’ve read many articles about this. Some say God doesn’t allow bad things to occur, that bad things occur because of sin and Satan. In my mind, however, God has the power to restore all things. He definitely has the power to cure Myasthenia Gravis, so why doesn’t He?
God told us there would be challenges in life. He even warned us about tribulations. He instructed us to remain faithful. He promised to be with us during those difficult times. He promised to bring us peace.
Right or wrong, I do believe God allows things to happen, but he does so for a purpose. I’ve always been a strong believer. I was brought up Christian and have tried to live my life honoring Him. I can emphatically tell you that going through Myasthenia Gravis and some of the other health problems I’ve recently experienced has brought me closer to God than ever before. Not only do I feel closer to Him, but I’m hearing the calling to help others.
That’s what my blogs are all about. They started out as a way for me to express my feelings but have become a means by which others are no longer feeling so all alone.
I haven’t met many of my readers personally, but through their comments and emails I’ve learned that my blogs are working. They’re worthwhile. I’m providing strength, encouragement and hope to some who need it. Most importantly, I’m encouraging readers to turn to God during hard times; whatever those hard times may entail.
My trial with Myasthenia Gravis has produced endurance and a deeper trust in God for me. That was God’s intent. That’s why He allowed it.
That doesn’t mean everyone with MG needs to write blogs. It means you need to search deeply and discover the purpose for this trial in your life. Do you need to become closer to God? Do you need endurance? Do you need to let people in? Do you need to mend fences? Whatever your situation is, start looking at Myasthenia Gravis as a catalyst. A catalyst doesn’t cause a reaction; it only speeds it up. Maybe God is trying to speed something up in your life and MG was the means He chose to use to get you there.
When you look at a chronic condition like Myasthenia Gravis through that perspective, negatives become positives. Suddenly your focus changes from the negatives to possibilities and hope. A purpose replaces pity, depression, and despair. Every delay becomes preparation and every trial produces endurance.
So, thank you, Chad Prather. You were an inspiration for me and for thousands of others. Keep up the great work. God has given you a purpose and it’s inspiring to watch you follow through. Your example helps inspire me to continue my journey. May God continue to guide you and bless you.
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