Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Shauna: I'm Shauna with Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Thanks for listening today.

Well earlier this week we enjoyed a special edition as Joni answered a question about prayer, and you could have gone on and on, Joni, talking about prayer, right?

Joni Eareckson Tada: Absolutely. Prayer is our lifeline. It's the water and bread of our spiritual life. But Shauna, before I go off on prayer again, I think you've got a couple of questions in your hands from other listeners.

Shauna: I sure do, and this one is from Kayla. She asks, "Joni, how did your accident affect your parents and your siblings?"

Joni Eareckson Tada: Kayla, my broken neck not only sent my life into upheaval, it was the same for my parents and my three older sisters. Years after my accident, we would gather together and rehearse all the many ways that our lives were changed by my accident. And my three older sisters all agreed, as well as my mom and dad, my broken neck may have been terribly upsetting for us all, but it brought each of us so much closer together and much closer to Jesus Christ.

Not only did I have to learn to lean on Jesus as a new quadriplegic in a wheelchair, but my whole family had to learn to lean on Him and lean on Him hard. And so we all thank God for how He transformed our lives for the better through that tragic, wonderful day when I broke my neck. God certainly does work all things together for our good, my family's good, and for His glory.

Shauna: Joni, that is so true. Now for our next question, Sylvia asks, "How do I support my Christian friend who has constant pain after a traffic accident? It's a real challenge to her faith."

Joni Eareckson Tada: Sylvia, thank you for wanting to help your friend who deals with terrible pain. Your presence, your concern, and the fact that you want to spend time in support of her, all of it helps. I know when I'm in terrible pain, my friend will sometimes gather my hands in hers, she'll look at me and tell me that she wishes she could bear the burden for me. Just having a friend who empathizes like that means everything.

Secondly, Sylvia, help your friend pray about her pain. Together you can read 1st Peter 2:21 where it says, "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps." Sylvia, memorize that verse with your friend. Of course, let's believe there is an effective remedy for her condition through a good pain specialist. But in the meantime, ask your friend to pray like I do when my pain feels unbearable.

I say, "Lord Jesus, You are well-acquainted with pain, so please teach me Your paths and help me to follow You as I should. Help me to trust You, to lean on You. I don't feel like doing that right now, but please Jesus, help me. Help me to daily ask for Your grace and enabling, and to represent You well to those around me. Holy Spirit, please help me look at my pain as You look at it, to not think that You've given me too much to bear or that I have a right to complain."

"Help me not to give in to bitterness, please, because 1st Corinthians 10:13 says that You, God, are faithful, and You will not let me be tempted beyond what I can bear, but when I am, You will provide a way out so that I can stand up under it. So Jesus, help me to know that Your grace is my way out. And if things don't get better, that You will give me strength. You will vastly increase my ability to endure this pain."

And one more thing, Sylvia, I would love to write a note to your friend from one pain sufferer to another. Just reach out to me through joniradio.org, right, Shauna?

Shauna: That's right, and Joni, I know your words will bless others beyond Sylvia's friend. And listening friend, we'll see you next time on Sharing Hope.