Many years ago, I was diagnosed with DVT (deep vein thrombosis-blood clots).  I look back and can recall the time the blood clots traveled from my leg to my lungs.  I didn’t know it at the time but am blessed that I am still here.  The threat was serious, and I was on blood thinners for a while.  Then, when I was ready to be done with the whole thing, the medications were extended because, even though I was ready to be done, my body was not done healing.  I was ready to give up, but then…God showed up and showed me how to give it up…to Him.

Luke 17:11-13 (NIV)
Jesus Heals Ten Men with Leprosy
11 ”Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’”

Lepers were set apart because the disease was highly contagious.  Leprosy was a life-sentence with no hope of cure.  These lepers reached out to Jesus to ask for His pity.  It seems they had given up because they did not ask for healing when they called out to Jesus.

But Jesus understood their cry.  He understood the utter hopelessness of their physical condition.  And, He answered their plea with physical healing.

We can take comfort in knowing that God knows…our hearts, our cries, our condition.  He doesn’t want us to give up.  He wants us to completely trust Him and understand where our strength to continue lies.  Paul learned that too.

II Corinthians 12:7b-10 (NIV) “I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
(Italics added)

~ Take it to heart ~

Don’t give up.
Just like Paul, we can boast about the thorns in our lives.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness”
“For when I am weak, then I am strong”