Panic Attacks By Ray Comfort Continued AN ATTITUDE OF THANKSGIVING Sue and I were visiting an elderly lady named Helen, a 93-year-old who had broken her hip. She was unhappy because the food in the convalescent home wasn’t very good. One day Mary walked into Helen’s room. Mary was in her late seventies and had to be permanently fed through a tube that ran from a bottle directly into her stomach. Mary never tasted food or drink, and barring a miracle from God, she would never taste food or liquid again. Mary’s condition made Helen thankful that at least she could have the pleasure of food and drink, even if it wasn’t up to standard. Then there was Robert. Robert had a good clear brain, but he had chronic emphysema. He couldn’t breathe. Whenever she looked into his room, he was sitting on his bed, leaning over with his hand on his forehead. He gasped for every breath, twenty-four hours a day. Robert’s problem made Mary thankful that at least she could breathe. The point is that, despite your tormenting fears, you won’t have to look too far for people who are suffering so badly that their problems dwarf yours. If you don’t believe me, try being Robert for two minutes. Pinch your nose with one hand then with the other one hold your lips together so that a meager amount of air gets into your mouth. Don’t cheat. Do that for 120 long seconds. Feel the sweat break out on your forehead. Feel the panic. After two minutes of gasping for your breath, when you let go you will begin to thank God that you can breathe, and that will bring your problems into perspective. I’m not demeaning your fears. I’m offering you a way to lift yourself out of the pit of pity. So next time you are attacked in some way, pull yourself together with a prayer of heartfelt thanksgiving, and say, Father I thank You that all things work together for my good; that it is You who are at work in me to will and do of Your good pleasure. Your strength is made perfect in my weakness. I will not let this attack discourage me because Your grace is sufficient for me. You will help me through it. When I think of the sufferings of many, many others, I feel shamed for having any self-pity. I will therefore rejoice in the God of my salvation and give You thanks in and for everything. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. Your constant battle with trials will make you no stranger to them. Like a tree that is constantly beaten about by the wind, your roots will be deep. You will find, if you have an acquaintance with fear, etc., that you can live with it where others can’t. You will be able to do things that others can’t. The roots of your faith in God will be deeper than the roots of those who have never been ravaged by the winds of terror. Affliction works for us. God doesn’t let the wind blow to destroy, but to strengthen. You will be able to go places and do things that others would fear to do, because those things that should (rationally) produce fear pale in significance compared to the average attack of irrational fear. Again, do you believe God is at work in you to will and do of His good pleasure? Then rejoice, and let the joy of the Lord be your strength. There is a world weighed in the balance and found wanting. Don’t fiddle while Rome burns. Your problems and fears are nothing compared to the terrible plight of the sinner. Eternal hell is his destiny. Lift up hands that hang down, lift up your heart through faith, then lift up your voice like a trumpet and show this people their transgression.
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 06:55:03 +0000
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