Nick Vujicic was born without arms or legs, yet he
travels around the world, enjoys fishing, plays golf, and even surfs. “I love
living life,” he says. “And I’m happy.”
But he hasn’t always felt that way. When he was around eight years old, the
teasing he endured from classmates caused him to feel broken, bitter,
hopeless…so much so that he wanted to end his life, since he felt there was no
point in living any longer.
But by age 13, his attitude had changed. His mother had made sure he met other
disabled people, some with greater handicaps than his, which helped him realize
he wasn’t the only one coping with challenges.
At first, Nick didn’t understand Jeremiah 29:11, which says, “For I know the
plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for
disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” But he began to realize he didn’t
have to understand it for it to be true. “Just because you don’t see the plans
God has for you,” Nick says, “doesn’t mean He doesn’t have any.” So, he gave up
his anger and bitterness and began giving thanks for the blessings he did have.
Nick, now an adult, testifies to audiences around the world: “God has given me
grace, strength, and comfort through my disability. You can have peace and joy
in your life, even in circumstances that don’t make sense or turn your world
upside down.”
His testimony has helped an estimated 140,000 people come to faith in Christ.
Although some evangelists tell folks that believing in God will cause all their
problems to disappear, Nick says, “God is more interested in changing your heart
than your circumstances.”
Although Nick continues to ask God to give him arms and legs, he’s content, even
happy, without them. “God has given me such a big, big ministry. It’s such a
beautiful thing to witness people’s hearts being changed and transformed because
of the testimony I bring of God’s glory, grace, and perfection.”
He has learned the same lesson the Apostle Paul learned centuries ago. Paul had
something wrong, too, although Paul never said specifically what it was. He only
referred to his problem as a “thorn in the flesh,” which implies discomfort of
some sort.
Like Nick, Paul prayed for God to remove his problem, but God chose not to.
Three times Paul begged the Lord to take the “thorn” away. But each time, God
said to Paul, “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your
weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Like Nick, Paul trusted God to work in his life, despite his problems. And God
gave each of them a far-reaching ministry, one that permits others to see the
power of God working inside a human body that can boast of little strength of
its own.
Their lives, like those of many others, verify the truth of Jeremiah 29:11. God
DOES have a purpose for you and me. He DOES have a plan to bring about good
through our lives. It matters not whether we are crippled or able-bodied,
poverty-stricken or rich, uneducated or a Rhodes scholar…God can use us
according to the plans He’s had for us since before He formed us in the womb.
(See Jeremiah 1:5.)
© 2009 by Johnnie Ann Burgess Gaskill
jgaskill@charter.net
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
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