Mary mentioned two early and noticeable warning signs of hypoglycemia (being sweaty and a shaking hand). Explain why Mary was so grateful that God had intervened early when her blood sugar was low, i.e., what could have happened to Mary if her blood sugar continued to fall and God had not intervened when He did? Explain the pathophysiology of a low blood sugar on body functioning when responding to this question.
Mary believed that the warning signs that she was receiving were from God himself. She was grateful for these signs as she was able to control her low sugar levels on time. If she did not get these warning signs she would have suffered from Hypoglycemia which causes the sugar to decrease lower than normal. This could have caused her to faint, have seizures and worse go into a comatose state. The body needs glucose to generate energy and perform other bodily functions. The body consumes glucose with the help of insulin which is made in the pancreas. In the case of low blood sugar, the body does not produce enough glucose for it to maintain normal energy levels. In this case, the patient needs to take high sugar foods to help the body in bringing the glucose level up (Hypoglycemia – Symptoms and Causes). In Mary’s case; the signs she received from God helped her in maintaining her sugar level before she hit a critical low.
Reflect on how the following verses could give Mary comfort as she learns how to manage her diabetes for the rest of her life:
Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
This verse from the Bible describes that God wanted Paul to be humble so he placed Paul under a trail by giving him a “thorn in the flesh”. Paul stated that this thorn was brought upon him by Satan and he prayed to God to help him get rid of it. Here God made himself clear by stating that a human becomes extremely dear to God when he is in his weakened state as it is in this state that he finds his true strength. The trial brings the human closer to God and he rewards the human in the afterlife. This verse would give Mary comfort as she would realize that her hardship is fruitful. Her faith in God is already strong as she turns to him in her time of need. She believes that he has not forsaken her and the signs that she received from him are the reason that she is still alive.
References
Hypoglycemia—Symptoms and causes. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved September 29, 2021, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypoglycemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373685
