As a senior in college, I was involved in a traffic accident that eventually left me with neck issues and chronic pain. A couple of years later, I became severely ill with mononucleosis, which I never fully recovered from. Within half a decade, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s, a thyroid condition which is hard to treat. Since then, I’ve also been saddled with fibromyalgia (autoimmune diseases often piggyback on one another). I have good and bad days and feel grateful for a supportive family, helpful medicine, and a terrific team of doctors. I’ve learned to advocate for and take care of myself, rest when I need to, and surround myself with positive and understanding people.
However, I still get frustrated by the lack of education in the Church about chronic (and often invisible) illness. I’ve been told my afflictions are due to lack of faith, poor nutrition, or unconfessed sin. At times, I’ve been made to feel as though my suffering is my fault, instead of the fallout from an imperfect world groaning for redemption. I’ve also lost count of the “answers” people have suggested because their friend or relative tried something and it worked for them. And--while I know it’s impossible for others to think as much about my daily struggles as I do--I wonder if people assume that because I often look “normal” on the outside, I can’t be experiencing intense pain or fatigue.
Many chronic illness patients honestly feel that not only their struggles but also their personhood is invisible within their churches (and the Church at large). A few of my friends gave me specific input about how they wished congregations viewed and ministered to their afflictions. Below are several ideas based on their input about how communities of faith can serve this often-neglected group.... Read More
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