living with fibromyalgia

My wife has been battling fibromyalgia for about a year now. This is an aggravating disease. It causes a lot of muscular pain and fatigue, and also causes emotional distress, if for no other reason than from the pain and fatigue. It's not curable, and there are not any known medical aids that do not cause worse problems from side effects. Some people have found relief from various natural sources, such as dietary supplements, acupuncture, massage and soaking in a hot tub. None of these work for everyone, and not everyone can find something that works. It affects me, too, in the sense that I worry about my wife a lot, plus the fact that I need to do more of the physical work around the house, and I miss out on some of the activities we used to do.

Why does God allow these things? Well, first, I'm very thankful he has protected my wife and me from many other more serious and debilitating diseases and injuries. In the great scheme of things, if this is all we have to deal with, we should probably consider ourselves very blessed. But, the bottom line is we live in a fallen world, in which humankind has chosen the ways of Satan, and lots of bad things happen in a sinful world. Someday, God will step in and stop sin:

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." -I Thessalonians 4:16-18

But, we have to wait until God does this in His own time:

"First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."... But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness." -II Peter 3:3-4, 8-9

We might think we know the right time for Him to step in and stop the effects of a sinful world, but we must have faith that He knows the right time much better than we do. Meanwhile, He has promised that He will help us through these earthly trials.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." -Matthew 10:29-31

Almost everyone, no matter how physically or emotionally sick, still has something they can contribute to the world and to God's work. I need to encourage my wife to stay optimistic, and for her to find ways to help others with her remaining skills and strength. I continue to pray to God to help her with this sickness, and for patience and understanding.