Where does my help come from? Recovering from a brown recluse bite...ouch!
My Story:
My husband & I had been sitting outside & something bit me. It was about a nickle size, and hurt, but I didn't know what bit me. I didn't really think anything about it, since we live out in the country & bites happen at times. After church on Sunday I began feeling bad, & my bite was really hurting, so I took a Benedryl & sprayed Caladryl on it. It hurt & itched more. I went to bed early, took one more Benedryl & sprayed more Caladryl thinking it would be smaller by morning, instead it was bigger & really painful. I canceled everything for the day & went to the doctor. He said you've been bitten by a brown recluse. Take these antibiotics for 2 weeks & do not exercise or go out into the sun until it's healed (at least 2 weeks).
Wow! Well, I was willing to do what the doctor said…although being without sunshine & exercise for 2 weeks was going to be a real challenge, but I wanted to make sure I healed as quick as possible without spreading the toxin in my bloodstream, and making my situation worse. As God was healing me, the bite looked much better on the outside ..better than what was ever expected. The only thing was inside I felt like I had the flu (achey & fatiqued). I was getting better...but still the healing continued…and I continued to do what the doctor told me and eventually the wound was gone..or so I thought. Until I was at my niece’s birthday party and my mom said let me see your spider bite. I said, “Mom, it’s gone..there’s nothing to see.” My mom said, “Let me take a look where it was.” I said, “ok, but there’s nothing to see.” But when I started to point to where it was, she pointed to it before I could and said, “I see…it’s still healing.” She traced her finger around the area. I was amazed! I said, “mom, you can see where it was?” She said, “I can see the wound faintly under the skin, like a light bruise.” Wow! And I thought it was gone. If you looked at me, you'd say "Oh, she's doing great, but on the inside I was still not feeling 100% healthy, and with the help of my mom she showed me that the healing process was still at work. I was at a loss on the time frame of when or how fast I would recover from this 100%.
Sin hurts and affects us (whether it’s our sin or we’re affected by someone else’s sin) in much the same way. Sin seeks to destroy our spiritual health & relationship with God, which affects our minds, bodies, & soul. It seeks to eat away & destroy our belief, our hope, & our relationship with our Heavenly Father. May we not allow sin/darkness (fear, lies, negative thoughts, doubt, evil, etc) to consume us, may we cling to God and allow Him to work in us, so we may be clean vessels for the Light of Christ to shine through to lead people to turn from sin/darkness to Him. (When this occurs, words aren't even needed at times. People watch us & see how we deal with life's challenges. God is at work in us, making us new creations in Him. No we're not perfect, and yes, we will be sad & frustrated at times, but if we are obedient & trust in God people will see Him in us).
So, I'm seeking to “Be Still & know that He is God”. (Psalm 46:10). He has a plan in challenging & hurtful situations…. even though I don't understand. (Jeremiah 29:11). God brings good things into bad situations. His Light always breaks through the darkness. May I seek His will, not mine and allow time for His complete healing.
I am praying that you will believe & follow Jesus Christ to get you through your dark moments.
Read from an NIV Bible: John 14:6-7, John 10:10, John 3:16, Proverbs 3:3-8