Difficult Times

This has been a very difficult couple of weeks for me. I know I’m not the only one going through difficulties because just about everyone I know and love are experiencing new and extremely challenging times right now. Some experience emotional struggles, some physical and some spiritual. No one struggle is greater than another because they all have the ability to bring one to their knees. 

In my personal journey, I suffered the loss of a very special friend a week ago. I never had a son, but this young man was as dear as a son would have been to me. His family is very dear to my heart as well, so to watch them experience their loss breaks my own heart.  However, God has offered all of us a beautiful consolation since this young man’s love for God was made so evident to us since He accepted God into his life.  He had a heart that was on fire for his Dad (which is what He called his Heavenly Father.) Yes he struggled, but I know where his heart was.

In addition to that loss, my daughter also had major surgery a week ago.  The invasive surgery lasted for a longer time than we expected, threatening to bring my anxiety levels to challenging highs.  But I kept picturing warrior angels, with flaming swords, surrounding and protecting her from any evil intrusion and my heart could rest. Everything went well and she is now in the healing phase, enduring the pain of recovery.  It is no easy task to watch your own child endure pain without being able to relieve their suffering.

And then as the icing on the cake, every once in a while, I, inadvertently, consume some kind of wheat product that my body proceeds to reject in very unforgiving ways.  My allergic reaction results in extreme weakness with no energy, which then complicates my ability to be of value to anyone else. So now I’m weak…and useless.  

So last night I was talking to God about it all.  I also was feeling a little sorry for myself and was about to ask, “Why did you give me such a difficult path to follow?” But He interrupted my thoughts with: “This is the only path that will lead you home.”  

Well, Home is definitely where I want to go so I guess I’ll take the good with the bad.  So much for feeling sorry for myself. Instead I can praise my God for holding me through all the trials and walking the path with me.

9/9/2016