If any of you lacks wisdom, (i.e.--does not know what to do), he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him (James 1:5).
Yesterday I wrote about taking God as the Senior Partner in the business of our lives. Once we get this mind-set, it is amazing how it changes our thinking. The Book of Lamentations says, "He has taken up all the causes of my life" -- if we allow Him, for He will do nothing without our permission and acceptance.
But when we "acknowledge Him in all our ways and lean not on our own understanding" (Proverbs 3:21), He does direct our paths, just as Scripture promises us.
Years ago, when I was teaching, I found that my feet would swell painfully during the day. Add to that a bone spur on one toe plus the pressure of a fungus nail on the same toe, and my life was miserable. I started bringing 4 pairs of shoes to my office and changing shoes all day. Then I started buying more and more expensive shoes and putting the cheap ones in the Goodwill bag. Nothing seemed to work. Finally, I began to think I would have to stop teaching, as it was difficult for me to walk across campus and to stand on my feet in the classroom. One day, as I headed back across campus to my office, I was in so much pain that I was seriously thinking of sitting on the sidewalk to take off my shoes and walk barefoot the rest of the day. "O God!" I cried out, "if you will just tell me what to do, I promise I'll do it."
That afternoon, I decided to stop at my mother's house on the way home, a rare occurance for me, since I had to meet my children after school, prepare dinner, and hopefully, put my feet up for a few minutes. "It sounds as if you have arthritis in your feet," Mom said; 'that's how mine started. And if you are craving anything, it's poisoning you ---- corn is the worst!" I shrugged my shoulders, thinking that (a) I was too young to have arthritis, and (b) I wasn't craving anything, least of all corn.
But the next morning, I reached into the pantry and pulled out a packet of instant grits. For months, I had been craving grits, and eating them even sometimes at night before bed. I stared at the package: "That's corn!" I thought. Intrigued, I got out all my books on natural healing and remedies and began to read about arthritis. Sure enough, corn was the worst offender in inflammation, but the other nightshade vegetables were also on the list -- potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant -- all of which I grew and devoured.
For the next month, all those vegetables were off my diet, and by the end of the month, I could wear all the shoes in the Goodwill bag again. As long as I did not eat those vegetables, I was entirely pain-free, no matter what pair of shoes I wore. And once my body was purified of inflammation, I found that I could detect hidden poisons even when I did not realize I was eating them -- fish fried in corn oil, for example. For the last 20 years, I have been entirely free of arthritis, except when I have decided that "just this little bit won't hurt." Then, once again, I am in pain, not only in my feet but in my hands.
I cannot tell how grateful I am to the Lord for His Spirit of Practical Wisdom, which has saved me from excruciating pain all these years. Tomorrow I will continue on the same theme.
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