What is your ailment? The Bent over women part 2

you can read the first blog post about the bent over women here:

http://walkingtowardsthecross.blogspot.com/2011/12/bent-over-women.html

Just as the women who couldn't stand up straight, we all have our own ailments that keep us from straightening up and battles that steal our hope from us.  What is yours? Is it a physical wound that keeps you in so much physical pain that some days its just to much to bare? Is it an emotional battle with depression or some other mental illness that robes you of the true joy each day brings? Is it a spiritual doubt that battles deep within your soul that wages between good and evil?

All of these ailments can "bend" us over. Just like the women in Luke, we too can be plagued by Satan and not be able to stand up straight.  We too can be with out hope and all of these ailments are true battles.  All of these wars are a product of a fallen world, they are not the life that our Father wanted for us.

I have struggled with a soul wrenching emotional battle for all long as I can remember.  Its exhausting to fight and impossible to win within my own strength.  Although at times depression takes over me, I have become convicted by the Holy Spirit that wanting people to notice my ailment and touch me or rather bring me hope is nothing but foolish pride on my part.  It is not wrong for me to want others to help me fight the good fight but it is wrong for me to want others to notice me.  Because at the end of the day my life is not my own.  I have been bought by a price and am yoked to a different Master. His load is light and He is kind and loving. He wishes nothing but freedom for me.  This freedom however is not to be used so that I may gain attention but rather He, Jesus Christ, gain all the Glory and Honor due to Him.  I am reminded of an that song lyric Jesus gave it all, all to Him I owe...

In parting I would like to share a verse given to me by a dear friend and it is one I am going to cling to as a battle being bent over
"For the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world, on the contrary they have divine power to demolish strongholds (things that bend us over).  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ."  2 Corinthians 2: 4 & 5