We’re back in the Des Moines area now. Thus far, all we know that we didn’t know before is that Tina has pressure in her cranium. They say that it isn’t an emergency in the short term, but it is in the long term. We will be heading back later this month for a spinal tap for more info.
This isn’t easy. But God did not promise an easy life in this world, nor did he promise positive results from our current perspectives. What’s our present strategy? Pray and wait.
Job 6:11
What is my strength, that I should wait? And what is my end, that I should be patient?
It seems almost wrong to use Job for a passage as I have not lost anything remotely comparable. My son is alive, my friends remain true, my property is intact and so on. But it seems like waiting is all that we can do, and it can get frustrating. Waiting for the sake of patience and trust seems like such an absurd idea. Why can’t this all be fixed so we can concentrate more fully on patience? Why do life’s lessons have to sting? Or do we have the wrong perspective in this? Could it be that we are approaching this time as a trial that must be endured or as a time of shaping that we can look to with anticipation, wondering what we will look like when it is finished?
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
This has me thinking. I don’t want to deny my frustration or overlook Tina’s suffering. The model given time after time in the Bible, especially the Psalms, tells me that we must not overlook the trials, but at the same time we can look at them from the other direction (though as through a darkened lens) and be confidant that when all is said and done, we would not have had it any other way.
But first the frustration must come. It makes me long for home and desire to be with God. But if I must be patient at a hospital, I must also be patient in the rest of my life as long as the vapor lasts.
Add Comment (2) Pray For Doug and Tina [IMG PDF] Admin’s PrayerLog Written by Rey Tuesday, 07 August 2007 Pray for my online buddy Doug. Pray for his wife Tina.
Oh my! I will be praying that God gives your family his peace as you wait for more answers.
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[...] Pray for my online buddy Doug. Pray for his wife Tina. [...]
Ive prayed and continue to pray.
The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace(Psa 29:11)and The LORD bless you, and keep you; The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace. (Num 6:24-26)
Doug, I can’t do anything for you but the best thing that I can do – I will pray for you and your wife. May the peace of Our Lord be upon you as you contemplate His perfect will and mercy.
I suspect, given the history of medical issues my wife has, that in 10 years I’ll be facing the same thing you are now. Thank you for sharing your frustration.
I too will be praying for you and your family…
We are praying for you and your family. We, who lost our son 2 years ago, still praise the name of Jesus every morning and every night. I can tell you, though it might seem impossible to comprehend, that fear is a lie.
Lord will lift you up, even from the darkest pit.
I speak as one who has lost and found. Forgive me if I use language that doesn’t “sound” in the hollows of the pit of the lost. I do so to honor Him who lifted me up and who will lift you up.
You can read our story with the link I provided. It might help process some of where you are. For me, I read Romans 7 and 8 over and over and over and over and… well you get the idea.