The following serves as day 3 of my new 30-day devotional book (Devotions on Diabetes: A 30-Day Journey to Anchor Your Soul). Another entry in the book can be found HERE. For more information, or to download this and four other entries in the book for free, visit my book page.
Sometimes diabetes makes no sense. It had happened every week for at least a month. The hustle to get ready and out the door on Sunday morning, with two littles to check into kids church, left me low heading into worship. It was like clockwork. Around 9am my CGM was reading about 70, and I would find myself chomping on glucose gummies as everyone else was singing.
After a family joke that going to church made me low, I decided to cut back on my insulin in the morning the following week. So I ate the exact same breakfast at the exact same time (I’m nothing if not consistent), but instead of telling my pump I had eaten 46g of carbs, I entered 42g. I was thinking with that small a change I’d land around 90 or 100. Nope…204.
Of course, this high blood sugar made zero sense to me. But there are literally times that diabetes makes no sense at all! I can try my best and completely win the day, and I can try my best and end up scratching my head in confusion. The uncertainty. The frustration. Sometimes nothing about diabetes seems to be logical. Even thirty years in, I still have those “I just don’t get it” moments.
And all the non-food variables that affect blood sugar certainly don’t help: exercise, the timing of insulin, medication interactions, changes in sleep, hormone swings, increased stress, illness, even sunburns or seasonal allergies…the list goes on.
What do you do when diabetes makes no sense?
Do you call your doctor? Do you chat with a friend who understands? Do you just vent to anyone who will listen? Do you make adjustments in hopes of improving next time? With diabetes, every day can be a bit different. What works today may not work tomorrow or next week. (Queue the next frustration.) And we’re stuck in a cycle of nothing making sense.
So what if we, instead of seeking answers to specific scenarios that may change over time, simply did our best with diabetes and started searching for peace in the midst of what doesn’t make sense? When we face the frustrations of diabetes, our souls need the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). And that peace comes only from connecting with our Heavenly Father.
Like a child wanting mommy to wrap her arms around them, like a toddler snuggling on daddy’s lap, we should approach our Heavenly Father with the innocence and hope and trust of a child. His arms are ever-open wide. His lap is always available. He is our loving, comforting “Abba” Father.
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.
James 4:8 (ESV)
Lean into Him in these frustrating moments that come more often than you would like. Approach Him and He will meet you there with immeasurable peace like a river to offer every time.
What do the two passages of additional reading below tell us about the Holy Spirit and peace? Pray for the Holy Spirit to provide you with the peace that passes all understanding today.
Heavenly Father, I thank You today for Your peace. Your unexplainable peace in the face of what feels like chaos. And I thank You for always being available so I am able to approach You at any time. Father, there are so many days things just don’t make any sense with this disease. Things happen that simply don’t seem logical. At least not to me. Not in my human mind. But I know You understand everything. You see it all playing out. I ask You today to help me seek out Your lasting peace more than I search for fleeting answers. Comfort me with this peace today, God. Amen.
For Further Reading: John 14:25-27, Romans 15:13
