I've found that on my journey of healing, I need to be so careful who and what I listen to and what I let come out of my mouth as a result. At the end of my bed, there is a ‘lovely’ file with all sorts of depressing information about the disease. The doctors are always very blunt and honest about the future. Listening to it all can make me quite upset and can start me off on quite a negative thought pattern. Eventually, I find myself talking in a similar way.

I am not in denial that I have a degenerative lung condition. I know what it all means medically speaking. Thankfully though, I can have this awareness without accepting it. The doctors have always encouraged me to come to terms with things so that I can cope and move on. I'll be honest...sometimes that would be easier; certainly less of a battle! The truth is though, I don't need to come to terms with things or label myself with anything because my God is bigger than any disease. I need to decide who I am going to believe- God and his promises or a medical file.

Having made a decision to believe God despite what I can see, I need to start reflecting that in my words. I was encouraged to read about the creative power of our words in Christine Caine's devotional this morning. Proverbs says, 'The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit' (Proverbs 18:21). When I read that I will have a shortened life expectancy, I can choose to start talking about how I will make the most of my short life or I can declare that, 'I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord' (Psalm 118:17) When my file says that there is no cure, I can accept the need for a transplant or I can declare that, 'He heals the brokenhearted and binds up my wounds' (Psalm 147:3)

I would encourage anyone who is sick, particularly with a long-term health condition, to come on the journey with me of declaring words of life over the situation. I am finding a document from Joyce Meyer really helpful at the moment:
https://www.joycemeyer.org/content/downloads/PhysicalHealingScriptures.pdf

We don't need to ignore or deny our symptoms but we can believe that God is greater and that there is power in our words. Let's choose to declare life today!