IV Drip

READ: ISAIAH 61:1-3; JOHN 16:16-33; REVELATION 21:1-5

Every seven weeks, I watch an IV drip two hours’ worth of liquid medication into my arm. That’s the reality of a chronic illness— it’s never-ending. It’s most likely not going away. Not before Jesus returns anyway.

Living with Crohn’s disease feels like a part-time job. I have to watch what I eat (goodbye, hot dogs), go to doctor’s appointments, get pricked by needles that sometimes find a vein easily and sometimes don’t. The medical upkeep is exhausting and painful.

Jesus said we would have trouble in this world. But we know it’s only temporary. An example of this occurs in John 16, when Jesus warns His disciples that He is about to leave. They will grieve and weep after His departure, but their mourning will turn to joy.

Jesus was about to die on the cross for the sins of all humanity. Three days after His crucifixion, He was raised from the dead, and forty days later He ascended into heaven. And He promised that all who believe in Him would have eternal life. When the time comes for Jesus to return, the book of Revelation tells us He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. There will be no more sorrow or pain.

Getting IV infusions for the rest of my earthly life seems like a long time, but it’s a drop in the ocean compared to the time I’ll spend in eternity with Jesus. Until then, I’ll live with my IV drips and sensitive stomach, knowing my story doesn’t end here. My pain will disintegrate, and my grief will turn to joy. And maybe, there will even be a hot dog waiting for me in heaven. • Jenna Brooke Carlson

• Are you or someone you know struggling with chronic illness? How can the hope of our future with Jesus encourage us in our present? (Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:14-21; 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

• When Christians die, we enter into Jesus’s presence and escape the world’s burdens, physical and otherwise. And when Jesus returns to establish the new heavens and new earth, He will put an end to pain and death and sorrow, and He will raise us from the dead to live forever in renewed creation! Yet, Jesus not only promises to end our pain and sorrow in the future, He also promises to be with us now, grieving our hurts alongside us, holding us close, and giving us hope. What is troubling you today? Whether it’s something physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual, you can bring it to Jesus in prayer, knowing that He feels your pain as His own.

“I [Jesus] have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)