Lessons God taught me after 6 days of diarrhea

Two weeks after Carnival 2024, I started feeling ill all of a sudden. I was nauseous and had diarrhea. I contacted my doctor and she recommended Gravol for the nausea and Immodium for the diarrhea. After being ill for two days, I felt God saying this to me:

"You are not indispensable. Although you add value wherever you serve, My work can still go on without you. Take the necessary time to rest and recover before jumping back in to ministry. Draw strength from me."

Sunset over Aranguez Savannah

On the third day I messaged my doctor to let her know that there was no change in my symptoms, so she started me on a course of antibiotics. Later that evening I was scheduled to share at Carenage Gospel Hall on the topic "Proving God in adversity". While finalizing my PowerPoint presentation I had diarrhea almost non-stop. I messaged my prayer partners and asked to them to pray for the diarrhea to stop. It stopped half an hour before I shared, and it resumed soon after I was finished. Thank God the session was online and not in person!

Crown of thorns in Dow Village

 The next day I messaged my doctor to find out how long I could expect the diarrhea to last because after four days, I was tired of having to visit the toilet so often. She told me that she had no idea what I had, because if it was the Rotavirus which was going around, it should have responded to the medication by now. I asked my friends from church, "What do you do when your doctor has no idea what is wrong with you?" and the response was clear - "We pray!"

Sunset over Bonasse beach, Cedros

The next morning, I asked God what He wanted me to learn from this season of illness, and this is what He said:

• In one instant, your life can change quickly and completely and uncontrollably. When you are healthy and able to function normally, you should not take it for granted.
• You are not indispensable to the work of the kingdom of God. While you were incapacitated, ISCF School tours went on. Don't for a moment feel like if the work cannot continue without you. It is my Kingdom and I will find the labourers needed to bring in the harvest.
• The body of Christ is there to support and offer aid when you are unable to help yourself.
• Do not underestimate the power of prayer. Diarrhea and bacteria have to bow to the authority of God.
• Remember that all things work together for good to those who love God, even things which may not seem to be good like sickness.

Orchids from my neighbour's yard

On the fifth day, I was in the toilet almost constantly from 11:30pm to 2:30am the next day. At 3am I messaged my friends from church and said, "This is ridiculous now... I am going to close my eyes now and my bowels better go to sleep too cuz I is tyad!" Later that day I had my first solid bowel movement for the week and I was elated! From that time on all the symptoms disappeared as quickly as they had arrived.

The Lord restored me to full health!

I believe that God allowed the symptoms to last as long as they did to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was He who healed me, and not the medication. I feel like God wants me to share my experiences to encourage others in similar circumstances, so they don't have to make the same mistakes I did, to learn the lessons I have learnt.   

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says it the best:

There is a time for everything,

    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2     a time to be born and a time to die,

    a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3     a time to kill and a time to heal,

    a time to tear down and a time to build,

4     a time to weep and a time to laugh,

    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6     a time to search and a time to give up,

    a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7     a time to tear and a time to mend,

    a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8     a time to love and a time to hate,

    a time for war and a time for peace.