Matthew 11:25-36 "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

For those of us living in North America we may not understand the significance of a yoke. But in many countries of the world where man is the "beast of burden" yokes are placed across the shoulders to balance heavy loads that are distributed evenly on each side of the crossbar. The loads can become very heavy after awhile.

We all have a "yoke" we have been given to bear. But we don't have to bear it alone.

If only I could see. If only I could walk. If only I could hear. If only I hadn't had cancer. If only I hadn't lost my limb. Then I could enjoy life as others do! If only I could get rid of my disability! If only! If only! Why me? Why me?

I have heard these complaints from many people. And everyone inflicted with these ailments has a right to wonder. When I was diagnosed with cancer several years ago, someone said to me, "Why you?" I said back, "Why not me?" No one is exempt from physical ailments.

I have a blind friend who expressed to me his desire for sight. He said to me: "I wonder if by putting my faith in God's hands I might be able to walk without a cane or my guide dog."

That would be wonderful. And we all have disabilities of one sort or another that we would desire to be free of. And of course, God can and does perform miracles, but on the other hand, He also gives us ailments for a purpose. Even the great Paul the apostle had a "thorn in the flesh" which he asked God to take away. But God didn't. He just helped Paul become more dependent on Him because of his weakness, what ever it was. Some people think that Paul's ailment was an eye problem. The reason they think that is that he had to have someone else write some of his letters. However, what ever it was, I believe God didn't deliver him from it so that he could be an encouragement to millions down through the ages that have disabilities.

Yes, all things are possible. God can heal us from our disabilities. But what is more important is, He wants us to rely on His love for us to guide us through things.He wants us to lay our yoke on Him and let Him carry our burden. Christ calmed the waters when there was a storm. He could have made it so that there wasn't a storm in the first place, but He didn't. He allowed the storm so that He could teach His disciples that He was with them in the storm...And God is with you in your disability, whether it is blindness, deafness, being lame or without useable limbs, or the loss of a limb, or whatever it is. He will always be with you. Although we cannot know why at this time, we will some day know why God allows sickness and disabilities.

I have known a few blind people. Some were great blessings. I knew one woman who lost her sight about 12 years before she died--at nearly 90. Instead of being bitter about it, or moaning the fact that she could no longer see, she SAW things that those of us with eyesight could not. She saw the thoughts of God, as we could not. She saw God's beauty. She saw the message as she listened to Billy Graham, or other of God's great servants. She gave off the light of the Lord and she was a blessing to all those around her in the nursing home. And I remember one woman who had never walked in all of her forty-five years; yet, she had a constant smile on her face and she would reach out and grasp your hand as you passed by, on your way out of church.

When my husband, Hart, lost his leg in April 2007, he could have said, "Why me?" too, but he didn't. He just thanked the Lord that he lost only his leg, not his life. And today, just 6 months later, he spends his time, not thinking about himself or his disability, he sits at his computer sending out encouragement via email, to everyone on his list. His attitude is, "There are many people out there who are a lot worse off than I am."

I know a man who is mute (not deaf) and mentally incapacitated; yet he loves the Lord. When he was a boy his father always asked him to go get the Bible for morning devotions. He would happily run and bring Daddy the Bible; but then as he got a little older, and more able to think for himself, he would refuse to get the Bible for his dad, and he would sit and scowl all through the reading. But again things changed. I don't know how, but God got through to him and saved him. How do I know? Because there was a definite change in his attitude. Again, he would run to get the Bible for devotions, but now without being coached by his dad. He was eager to hear God's word, although he was incapable of reading it for himself. Yes, he has a disability, but he does not let that stand in his way of serving God in his own unique way. His mental capacity may not be up to "normal", but he finds Christ's yoke easy and His burden light.

Although we cannot know the whys at this time, we will some day know God's reason for allowing sickness, handicaps or disabilities. And we can also know at the present time that if we lay our burden on Him He will carry it for us. His yoke is easy; so let our yoke be His yoke. Then we will be able to carry it.

So, despite a physical disability that you may be suffering, you can be a blessing to many. Let your disability be God's ability. Let your yoke be God s yoke.... Let God's light shine from your soul.

May God bless you.

© Helen Dowd