“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 NLT
Faith in uncertain times. That’s been the theme of my posts for a while now. At the moment, I am living that out.
Tom and I went out of town for a trip and found ourselves in an uncertain time. He had been feeling fatigued, but nothing that we recognized as a red flag. Then he woke up in the middle of the night in extreme pain. A trip to the ER revealed pneumonia. A CT scan raised some questions about the origin of the infection. Subsequently, he was admitted. Over the next few days, doctors did a variety of tests to determine what was actually happening in Tom’s body.
At this point, they have ruled out the most threatening possibilities. Tom is responding to the IV antibiotics and the pain is mitigated, though not completely gone. We are still waiting for word of when he might be released to recover at home. He usually drives the long trips. This time it will be me.
So that is our current situation. An uncertain time. What can I tell you about my faith in a time like this?
First, over the years I have learned to accept situations as they are. The only thing I can control about this is me. I can’t speed up Tom’s healing so that we can go home. God controls the timing. Whether He heals miraculously or works through doctors, the timing isn't up to me. The best thing I can do is trust Him to work in the way He sees fit.
Often, our strong desire to control situations causes the most stress. The longing to circumvent the circumstance or make it stop leads to a great deal of angst. Accepting the situation as it is helps me direct my energy towards what is actually happening, rather than fighting against it.
Next, I have learned to accept my own limitations and work within them. Back to “The only thing I can control is me.” I don’t like driving in city traffic, especially in an unfamiliar location. I don’t like tight spaces in parking garages or parallel parking. I just don’t do it enough. I don’t trust my own sense of depth perception. I am not a terrible driver, but I know what stresses me out.
We are in an unfamiliar city with a lot of traffic, narrow streets, road construction, hills, and limited parking options. The hospital has a parking garage, but the first time I came, I found a close parking lot. The spaces were just as tight as a garage, but in the open air. Although I successfully navigated all of that with limited anxiety, once I was parked at the hotel near the hospital, I decided to pay a driver for the rest of my hospital trips instead of driving myself. Why? Because it takes away one layer of stress for me in an already stressful situation. It saves my emotional and mental energy for what is most important.
I have also learned to concentrate on the present moment without projecting into the future. What do I mean by that? There are questions about what happens next with Tom’s recovery. How long will he be out of work? We will have to decide what our priorities are when it comes to other commitments. We will have to navigate the hospital bills and other unexpected expenses connected with this time. There are some challenges ahead, but more than forty years ago I heard a statement that has guided me through many a trial:
“God doesn’t give us the grace to anticipate. He gives us the grace to go through it.”
It isn’t always easy to turn off the brain as it anticipates the future challenges. After all, God designed our brains for problem-solving. But I need my brain to spend its mental energy on solving current problems. I know that is what I need to focus on, so I must choose to put the future in God’s hands and trust that He will guide us through it with grace.
Every trial I’ve walked through has helped me trust God in a deeper way. I must rely on Him and trust in His love. (1 John 4:16) I can walk through this time with peace and grace because of what I have learned through previous times. It isn’t easy. I don’t want to minimize anything about this. But I have experienced God’s faithfulness in the past, and I expect it from Him now.
Dear friend, you can trust Him. Accept that He is in control even when everything is out of your control. Do your best to manage yourself. Accept the situation and your own limitations. Focus your mental and emotional energy on the present, believing there will be grace for what comes next, just as there is grace for now.
Praying that sharing this helps you through your own uncertain times.
PS: We are now home. Tom is better every day, but it’s going to take a bit longer to get back to full strength and “back to normal”. Thanks for your prayers!
Key Question: How do I live out faith in uncertain times?
A Scripture to Consider: “In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” 2 Corinthians 1:9-10 NLT
A YES Challenge: Determine where you are trying to control or circumvent your current challenge. What can you do to release control to God?
Prayer: Father, You know all that is happening right now. I recognize that it is out of my control. Help me trust that You are present in this circumstance and help me trust and rely on Your love. You know my weaknesses. Help me accept them and teach me how to work within my limitations. You are faithful. You have been faithful. You will be faithful. Amen.
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