As some may know, earlier this year I faced a multi-month health issue. Thankfully, in God’s kindness, the issue seems to be resolved, but during that time, apart from my commitments to my family, my church, and my work, there was little additional margin for other tasks. When I wasn’t doing something I had to do, I was in bed, resting and recovering trying to make sure I had the energy and stamina to doing everything I needed to do the next day. After I finished my course of treatment from my doctors, it still took a while for me to fully catch up on all that I had to set aside. Hopefully and prayerfully that trial is now in the past, and I anticipate that means more frequent posts where I can share what I am learning from God and the goodness of focusing on the better things ahead. Even though I didn’t have the margin to write regularly, I kept good notes, and as I start writing out the lessons I learned in that season, I’m looking forward to being reminded of how God continued to grow and strengthen me even when I was physically weak. What a faithful God we serve!
As I jump back in to writing and posting, I am mindful of the fact that, for a Christian, any trial we face is not just about us. God uses the afflictions that He allows in our lives to give us the ability to comfort others as they face similar situations (2 Cor. 1:4). It is my hope therefore, that some of the lessons that I learned may be an encouragement and comfort to you, whether you are facing a trial now or whether this is used by our good Father to prepare you for a season of difficulty that may lay ahead. While I am sure I will continue to learn more as this time of trial gets further in the rearview mirror, here are some of the initial lessons that God graciously showed me.
Find your people before you need them
Being sick is isolating; sometimes literally and sometimes simply because you alone are suffering and no one else is experiencing that with you. Because of this, it may be easy for some people to withdraw and simply sit alone with their illness. However, if you have built solid relationships with fellow believers, they won’t allow this to happen. Even when you don’t know how they can help, they will find a way to be an encouragement and to come alongside you to show love and support. The challenge for us is that we may not viscerally recognize our deep need for the family of God until we are in whatever challenging season God allows us to face. Build those relationships before that time. Invest in the lives of your brothers and sisters in Christ. We may think that we are fairly independent and singularly have our lives together, but God may bring a trial that challenges that notion and shows us that we need to be an active part of a local church. If we, in obedience, have already built those relationships, whatever trial we face, we won’t face it alone.
Graciously and willingly accept assistance
If you are like me, it is easier to be the helper than to be helped. However, being part of God’s family means that not only we should give help when needed, but we should accept the gracious assistance of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Proverbs 27:17 tells us that just as iron sharpens iron, so people can sharpen one another. While I have often considered that this verse shows how people can help make us better (“sharper” instruments to be used by God), it is also true that people can sharpen us by making us stronger through their help and assistance. Not only that, but when we graciously accept the kindness of our brothers and sisters in Christ, this strengthens them – for they are being used by Jesus to be His hands and feet. Consequently, we are stronger, they are stronger, and all of us are made more useful for the sake of God’s Kingdom! Therefore, let us be willing to serve others, but let us also be willing to let others serve us in our time of need. The family of God is a gift and we should joyfully appreciate the benefits that come with being a member of it.
Don’t neglect the gift of prayer
Speaking of gifts, the fact that God wants His people to bring their needs before Him is a wonderful and amazing privilege. For many of us, however, when it seems medical science will solve our problem, we may forget our need to pray about it. And even if we are praying about it, we might neglect to invite others into that need, asking them to pray for it too. This should not be. When we have a need, we should bring it before God – even if we think He has used doctors and other medical professionals to already provide the solution. When we share our need with others, and they pray about it too, not only are they supporting us as Aaron and Hur held Moses’ hands up to help Israel win their battle (Ex. 17:12), but when God answers that prayer – they get the opportunity to praise Him and rejoice with you as well. Pray often. Pray fervently. Let others pray with and for you. God wants to hear from His kids. And while you are inviting others to pray alongside you for your needs, make sure you are praying for their needs too.
Rest in the knowledge of God’s good plan
One of the kindnesses of God that I experienced as I went through this process is that, after I came out of surgery, a woman from my church who I had never met before met me in the recovery room. She was a nurse working in the hospital that day and (as far as I can remember) had recognized my name and had come to check on me. Since pandemic protocols were still not allowing family members to come into the surgical center, knowing that a sister in Christ was there was such a comfort as I broke through the fog of anesthesia. It was one of the precious evidences of God’s good provision. I thought the plan was that I would be in the recovery room alone, but God had a different, better, sweeter plan. And even though it looks like the original medical issue is in the past, during the surgery the doctor discovered something that, in his opinion, may be an issue in the future. The fact that I can see how God provided for me in kind and unexpected ways as I went through this trial is a reminder that His good plan is being worked out “according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11) in whatever trials lay ahead; those that the doctor may think he foresees, and those that aren’t even on anyone’s horizon. Whatever difficulty we face, God’s kids can count that He is working all things together for our good and His glory (Rom. 8:28-29). Therefore, we can “count it all joy” (James 1:2) and rest in the knowledge that every detail of our lives is in His sovereign hands.
No one I know likes being sick. Being physically weak is difficult and trying. But in God’s kindness, He can use our weakness to make us strong in and through Him (2 Cor. 12:9-11). I’m grateful for these and other lessons God taught me through this season. It is my prayer that, whatever lies ahead, He will continue to use this trial to equip me to faithfully and devotedly serve Him.
