The Stance of Choice

Over two years ago I was an RN working full-time, newly married, enjoying what I was blessed with---though annoyed at various things that didn't suit. 
Then, one day, I wake up with glass shards in my feet and hands. Excruciating. And it spread over the next few weeks to my knees, elbows, shoulders, ribs. Excruciating...but bearable, if one kept moving. Then the nausea, the exhaustion so severe I was afraid I would fall asleep driving. The pain of driving a car for my home health job was too much. 
My life ended that day. 
When things like this happen we first become shocked, then figure it'll be a short lived thing. An infection, the medications will work! A few weeks, and it will be fine. 
Then...Then we start asking God what happened. We may, or probably, escalate into screaming why, why, why? Sobbing the question. Why cancer? Why RA? Why a drunk driver hit my son? Why my daughter is paralyzed? Why, why, why?! the world has cried for centuries. 
I have no answer for that. Why these things happen. Why I stricken with a bad version of RA, while a good woman i know has such a lesser case as to forget most days it is there, and yet again, those who have brain manifestations from the RA attacking the brain tissue. I have no answer. 
I have a firm statement, a challenge of sorts. 
We are all placed in the time we are, for the length of time we are, for a reason. 
We each get different struggles. Some seem "blessed" to us because nothing "bad" happens. Some seem "cursed" because the worst always happens. 
The thing that matters, regardless of which group we belong to is the stand we are going to take. 
When tragedy strikes people show their true colors. Whether they are for God or not. 
When the worst happens, are you going to stand with God, take the horrors of paralysis as Joni Eareckson Tada has by finding any and every reason to glorify God?
Sometimes it takes time. And sometimes we have to see that not only are we wounded physically or mentally...but spiritually with attacks left and right for us to remain angry, sad or depressed. Momentarily, this is fine; was not He Himself here in earth angered, saddened etc? We let it control our lives. 
No. We must take a stand, a stand like a soldier, preparing to face his enemy. We shake ourselves, shedding all "evil" thoughts, banning them with the power of God. We arm ourselves with the Word of God, with His strength, His joy, His power, His honor, His wonderful, holy, incredible Spirit. And then we walk, facing our length of time on earth. We make sure that we make a difference by who we each are; if I am stricken with RA the rest of my life, i make a difference by showing perseverance with God in the midst of a difficult disease; if I am paralyzed, I make a difference with my foundation (Joni); if I am a recovering alcoholic, I make a difference shining God where I can. 
The thing is in any horror not the question why. There is no question; the question is not important. What is important is what sre you going to do now? Are you going to give up on the God who, up to date, has always been there? Are you going to run away, forgetting Him? Or sre you going to cling all the harder, knowing that, however hard chronic illness is....He will use it for good. That you are in this time for a reason. And He will never forsake you. Even if you ran for a time, He will embrace you dearly.