Seven Minutes with God: Daily Prayers for the Chronically Ill

God’s Love

What do you do when the future you had planned is suddenly erased? A person confronting a chronic illness may feel uncertain about the future. Their hopes and dreams may be placed on hold or have to be altered. They may feel hopeless and helpless. When they feel uncertain about the future, lead them to that perfect love which casts out all fear. Share the love of Jesus Christ.

What is a chronic illness? A chronic disease is one lasting three months or more, by the definition of the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics. Chronic diseases generally cannot be prevented by vaccines or cured by medication, nor do they just disappear. Examples of chronic illnesses are:

• Alzheimer disease and dementia
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Cancer
• COPD
• Crohn disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Glaucoma
• Heart Disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Multiple sclerosis
• Oral lichen planus
• Parkinson disease

Today’s Bible Verse:

1 John 4:18 (KJV), “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

What the verse means:

John says that perfect love produces courage in the day of judgment. Why? Perfect love produces a likeness to Christ. Jesus Christ is the Judge. There is another way in which love produces boldness. It does this by its casting out fear. The entrance of perfect love through Jesus Christ is for fear a cease and desist letter to quit. A persons cannot both love and fear the same person or thing. When perfect love comes in, the darker fear departs. When love arrives, it brings hand in hand with itself Courage. Boldness is the companion of love, only when love is perfect. Only professing Christians can experience this perfect love of God, a love that casts out fear. As Believer’s we can face the future, including a chronic illness, and even death with the peace that only comes from Christ’s perfect love.

Praying using the verses:

1. Lord Jesus, thank you that there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.
2. Heavenly Father, help us to keep our minds focused on you and your love for us.
3. Remove any fears we may have as we look to the future.
4. Provide us with your grace to meet the challenges we encounter daily.
5. Help us to know as Believers in Jesus Christ our ultimate future is in Heaven.

Photo Source: Pixaby

Jimmie Aaron Kepler is a novelist, poet, book reviewer, and award-winning short story writer. His work has appeared in Christian publications like Deacon Magazine, Church Leadership Magazine, Discipleship Training Magazine, and Sunday School Leader Magazine as well as secular publications like Bewildering Stories, Beyond Imagination, Poetry & Prose Magazine, and The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature. He is a former Captain in the US Army.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in English and Military Science from The University of Texas at Arlington, Master of Arts and Master of Religious Education degrees from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, as well as the Doctor of Education degree. His books and collections available on Amazon. This blog post is from his forthcoming book, “Seven Minutes with God: Daily Prayers for the Chronically Ill.”