Hospital rooms. IV drips. Waiting Antibiotics. Oxygen. Scans. Waiting. X-Rays. Lab work-ups. Pills. Waiting.
This has been our world for the last week while we wait to find out what’s going on with my mother-in-law’s heart.
You can’t rush a trial any more than you can rush a lab result or a doctor’s appearance in your hospital room. I’m learning that quite well. How? Well, this week has also held a broken water heater, expired (temporary) tags on my car, a puncture in a tire on my husband’s car, and my dad being diagnosed with an rare retina disease – Hymphema, that required immediate laser surgery and much follow-up.
Trials are necessary. They make me thankful – thankful for the days that aren’t like these hard ones, for vision, the ability to swallow, walk, talk, and eat. I’m thankful for my God Who is strength, power and wisdom, and that He will give me each of those things during this trial. I’m thankful for how He sends along just what we need when we’re weak. I read this today in a daily devotional:
Wisdom is the capacity to see things from God’s viewpoint.
My viewpoint is obscured. It’s clouded with my thinking and my emotions. I must see things from His viewpoint if I’m to be wise.
As we spent eleven hours in the ICU hospital room yesterday, watching my mother-in-law struggling with her breathing, and also praying for my dad having eye surgery, I tried to remind myself of the verses in James that I’ve memorized because the Bible shows me God’s viewpoint of my trial:
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; – I can still have a deep, settled joy, though I’m hurting.
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation (trials), for when he is tried, he shall receive a crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that love him – I will be rewarded for enduring in His strength.
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. – His grace will equip me if I humble myself to realize I need it.
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. Only God knows what each day will hold! Consult Him first!
Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Pray for my needs, but keep singing!
These are the things you think about when trial clouds are raining on your head – not when the sun is beaming! His umbrella of grace enables a child of God to endure! Trials aren’t just for the congregation – they touch the parsonage and its occupants, too! Pray we will be wise and see this from God’s viewpoint.
From the parsonage windows,
RefreshHer 
Denise and Pastor C. We want you to know that we are praying for you through these trails. We also want to share a verse that comforted us when we were lost in trials and sorrow. Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” God doesn't ask us to understand, only to trust Him and His perfect will for our lives. May God richly bless you through these trials. All our love, The Barkers.
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Thank you, Aaron and Deidra, what a blessing to read that verse and be comforted by that Truth!
We love you all!
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Soooo thankful for His constant “umbrella of grace”! Isn't it interesting that He gives whatever measure we need for the exact time it's needed. It's just one of His God-gifts.
I love you, darlin'~ d
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My father, Pastor John Ashbrook, always said that trials come “if need be”. He took that from I Peter 1:6 “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.” I also remember him saying that a “season” is just a period of time. Hopefully your season of trial will be filled with the abundant grace of God. I know from experience that is is hard to see our parents suffer! God bless you all.
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