MORNING MANNA 6-29-21
HELPED BY A HANDICAP
“……. all these things are against me.”- Gen. 42:36
She was just six weeks old when she contracted a cold – something to be expected when raising children, and not usually a serious problem. But that wasn’t the case with this little girl. After a treatment for the discharge in her eyes this little girl went blind. Try to imagine how her broken hearted parents must have felt. Their little girl would never be able to do the things other little children could do and enjoy. How could a girl in this condition ever be of any use or a contributing member of society? But this was no ordinary little girl. Her name was Fanny Crosby.
Although unable to see, Fanny wrote poems and became known as the “Queen of Gospel song writers”. Now, more than a century later we are still singing her songs and being blessed by the works of that great woman. Rather than spending her life in bitter despair and complaining about the unfairness of life, Fanny did what she could. She determined to make the best out of a bad situation. At the young age of eight she wrote this poem:
“Oh, what a happy soul I am,
ALthough I cannot see.
I am resolved that in this world
Contented I will be.
How many blessings I enjoy
That other people don’t
To weep and sigh because I’m blind
I cannot and I won’t.”
A study of her life and others like her leads me to believe that sometimes not having a handicap is our biggest handicap. We need to learn what Paul had learned when he wrote, “for when I am weak, then am I strong” ( 2 Cor. 12:10). He knew that handicaps can be helpful when they cause us to look to God for help. Doing that can turn burdens into blessings, afflictions to aid, and grief into gladness.
Throughout life things will happen that we do not understand. Bad things happen to those who are considered good – even to innocent little children. We can’t escape such things, but by the grace of God we can endure them. Our burdens can make us better rather than bitter if we trust God’s promises such as Rom. 8:28. Through faith in God, those who appear useless can become useful.
None of us are wise enough to know what we need most, so God intervenes. From His eternal perspective and out of the depths of His great wisdom He appoints or allows what we need rather than what we want. So until the day when God makes all things clear we need to patiently endure our trials by trusting Him who cannot fail – knowing that He doeth all things well. Your Savior is the solution to your situation, the answer for your afflictions, and the source of your song. Although everything seems to be against you, God is for you. Your grievous handicap can become a glorious help. – HDS
David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346
