Get Well

When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Well, I keep wanting to write happy, uplifting blogs, but life keeps sending me anxiety.  Mom went into the hospital last week. Thankfully it was not congestive heart failure or pneumonia, just some virus that seems to be going around.  She has COPD from years of smoking.  That's their new term for emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma and the whole range of lung disorders.  Anyway, PRAISE GOD, she's back at home and doing fine.  But while she was there I found out my Uncle is in the hospital in Michigan with his heart disorder.  He also has diabetes which really complicates matters.  And my poor Aunt is torn between seeing him and her Mom, who was hospitalized last month, and has been recovering in a rehab center.  Our church's former organist is still recovering in a rehab center, and will hopefully be home soon.  Also, a coworker's daughter is at Hopkins with a weird blood cell disorder that they can't even identify. Besides all that are the other illnesses going around and outpatient procedures, keeping friends home sick.  And we have a bunch of friends and co-workers dealing with recent cancer diagnoses.  It's troubling.

I do think, though, that illness and health scares give us an opportunity to reassess our priorities in life.  It is necessary, sometimes, to put life into perspective and be sure we are 'not so busy making a living, that we forget to make a life.'  It all goes by so quickly.  Also, illness helps us to appreciate health.  As my hubby says, 'would you really appreciate the morning if there were no night?'  And I saw a pithy quote yesterday: it takes both sunshine and rain to make a rainbow.  And that is true.  Without the struggles, we wouldn't grow closer to God and seek him out.  We might become complacent and think we were living for ourselves, by ourselves.  We would not grow from adversity, and would not appreciate the blessings we have all the time, like health, family, the beauty of nature, the miracle of the human body.

Well, I know all that, but I will admit that I dread illness, and the anxiety of having friends and family in the hospital.  I am confident that God has it all worked out for his glory, and that he can bring beauty from ashes and strength from fear.  Still, I worry.  I pray.  I give thanks for blessings God has lavished on us.  And I try to be joyful always, but that one is harder.  So I'm sending out more 'Get Well' cards, and trying to encourage others.

And like a blessing out of the blue, one of my favorite songs just came on to put an exclamation point on the point I've been making: 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.  Don't worry about tomorrow.  He's got it under control.  Just trust in the Lord with all your heart and He will carry you through.' ~Trust by Sixpence None the Richer (from Proverbs 3:5-6)  Well, I couldn't put it better than that!

Thank you Lord for all the blessings of life and health that you give us.  Thank you for friends and family to love and support us.  Thank you for listening to our prayers. And thank you for allowing us to have a close and personal relationship with You through Your Son, the Great Physician, the Holy Comforter, Jesus! Amen.

Comments

[Kasie@~The Art of Life~]

What a wonderful post! It is so true! Sickness truly does help us to appreciate our good health more. (((Hugs to you!))) and I hope that your friends and family members are better soon. Thank you so much for your kind comments on my blog. I've added your blog to my links and look forward to getting to know you better!