This morning during my devotional, a prayer came up on my feed. I honestly cannot remember if I wrote it or if the Bible App wrote it and I saved it, but it is so appropriate for me right now that I wanted to share part of it.

Basically, it says that the weaknesses we have can be windows for God’s glory to shine through. Not a closed door to keep God and others out, but a window to let others see God’s glory through you.

The SON shines through us and reflects God’s glory to others, if we will let it.

We can agree that life is hard and sometimes we feel that we cannot take one more challenge. But God says we can be strong in the power of His might, for it is in our weakness that His power shines through, His glory.

This has been a tough week for me physically. Last week, I saw my primary care doctor after waiting over three weeks for an appointment. Having been sick and coughing since the end of May, I wanted my “quarterback” who is the overseer of all of my specialists to get on the field and help figure out what is going on with me. He listened to all that I has been happening and ordered a specific blood test. His office called me the next day with the results. I have congestive heart failure. Not an imminent death sentence, but it does mean more meds and a lot of monitoring. I saw my cardiologist on Monday and he ordered a repeat test next week as well as an ultrasound in August. My pulmonologist whom I saw on Wednesday changed some meds from inhaler to nebulizer since I can’t take deep breaths to take in the inhaler meds. And today, I see my primary care doctor again for a follow up. The medical professionals are all taking this whole thing seriously, and I am too. At first, I went from scared to devastated to accepting with a sigh and now I am back to “God is with me and I want Him to use this for His glory.” No, I am not like that all the time. Sometimes I cry in frustration because of the swelling that makes it so difficult to walk. Sometimes I get a “why me” attitude and rant. But you know what? God can take my “chip on my shoulder” attitude and use it to teach me and others. My weakness is showing how strong God is because His light shines best in my darkness.

I got a book in the mail yesterday that I didn’t remember ordering, but what a blessing it will be for me! God knew that this is the perfect time for me to start this devotional study.

In the introduction are these words: “You and I need spiritual strength to deal with the difficulties we face, but there’s a problem: Developing that strength doesn’t come easy. …our spiritual muscles grow strongest when they are stretched, put to the test, and pushed beyond what feels good.”

Well, that seems to be what is happening in my life these days. Perhaps your life, too, has been a series of battles (physical, emotional, mental or spiritual). Whatever you are facing, I pray that your life will be a window for God’s glory to shine through. Don’t be a closed door, but an open window so God’s blessings can pour into you and out to others.