For me, it's more of accepting challenge and learning how to overcome, to a point that I'm able to shine and positively affect others. Meaning, in short, make lemonade out of lemons and then give it away for free. :-)

I use a twist on your gift. When anyone askes something of me I consider it a gift to me an opportunity to give for which the only reward is in the doing. Soapy. Anyhow it makes me feel good , I can't always accept every gift but I will use self sacrafice to give to others, actually makes the experience better

I'm a Calvinist believing that God is sovereign in all things. Puritan pastor Matthew Henry who wrote an entire commentary of the Bible notes that 'diseases are His servant' and 'nothing happens by chance' in discussing Job 14. God is able to bring great good out of great evil.

If it lessens the load I'm all for it !!

I am truly happy that you have found a way to cope with life's battles. I hope everyone finds something in their lives to help lessen their loads.

For me, it is accepting my own reality and moving on with what life has offered.

I try to pray for other and it helps me realize I am not alone and there are others who are worse off no matter how much I can sit her and go on about how horrible I feel. I try to pass on goodness and my love of God in my life. I am not perfect but being in pray and thinking of others who are in terrible circumstances helps me not to dwell so much on my self. I know that God can health instantly. I don't know why I still suffer but I accept what I am going through for the most part. It is hard sometimes and then I know to pray f or help for myself or ask others for adivise and help also. I am simply a Christian and faith does help. I don't think I could stand my life without it.

in the spirtual sense i try to ask for forgiveness for my sins & as you ask GOD or power that be to use me as a insterment to show other to be more thankful & live a better life! helping ea other! If i was not home now= because of illness, i would not be able to watch my Grd D every other week! nor would i be takin care of my house! i would have boarded it up & toke off traveling! now iam plannin for that but get my house fixed first! & learn how to live w/this illness instead of run from it!

I like seeing how others use faith and prayer or simply acceptance. And, you've given me another idea for a post to follow....

FibroAlpha, the phrase, it's better to give than to receive comes to mind. It is good for us to be ready and willing to listen to others and to give sacrificially to them, turning outside of ourselves for a while. When we're suffering so much, we can tend to look at our own pain and sorrow too closely, and forget others.

I also belive that God is a Sovereign God and that He rules and reigns over all. I have felt the power of prayer during 18 years of illness and if it were not for all of the prayers offered on my behalf, then I don't know where I would be today. I had reached the point of desperation and I reached out to friends and asked them to pray for me. I believe that I am alive today because of the prayers that have been offered on my behalf and also for the prayers that have been answered. God's timing is not always our timing, but He does know what is best for us and many times we ask amiss. He infinitely knows what is best for us although it is sometimes hard and difficult for us to understand. Thanks for a great topic. For many years, I was able to help others much more than I can now before I became ill, and now others have helped me and they are being used. I just heard someone say last night that " God is never finished with us and we never know what He has in mind and His plan for our lives to be of use to others and enrich their lives. We suffer for a reason, but yet we can use that suffering to be an encouragement to others who are facing the issues that we've faced along the way, and this is one way that I deal with my illness in believing and hoping that my experiences can help someone else to be able to get through another day and that there is hope and a future.

shellseeker, that was very well said. I agree completely.

You just never know why God uses the means He does to not only work in our lives, but to bring glory to Himself as well.

My faith is one of my strengths, and always has been.

I keep a blessing jar. It is a mason jar in a big glass bowl full of pretty marbles. Every day I drop marbles in the jar and say out loud which blessing it represents. (DH, home, family, etc.). It helps keep me focused on the positive.

And I pray, for strength and endurance and patience.

I was raised Catholic and also learned about offering suffering to God. If it works, I say go for it.

I am always astounded to think how He can use an issue (or illness) to work in so many different lives all at once. It's awesome. Everyone's needs for a greater good are being impacted in a rippling effect which only He sees fully. Amazing!

Although I haven't posted, I have totally enjoyed reading this thread. I think God has His hand in everything I see and do, maybe that's why everyone has already said the things I would have posted! There have been times in my life that I REALLY didn't understand why bad things were happening. Someone said it's like a beautiful quilt....we don't get to see the GOOD side until we reach heaven.

I once read that it is also like the " beginning of the parade". We can only see the beginning, but God sees and knows the end.

There have been some great postings and encouragment as well in these postings!!!!!! KEEP THE FAITH!!!!