I’m watching toxic liquid drip into my husband’s IV as I write these words. Later this week, he’ll experience a needle in his eye. He didn’t easily agree to either activity.
That brings me to choices.
Some are fun.
Vanilla ice cream or chocolate?
Tennis or golf?
Scrabble or Rummikub?
Some may not be fun, but they are logical.
Practice a new skill daily for proficiency.
Reduce sugar in your diet to combat diabetes.
Increase daily exercise for heart health.
Some offer long term benefits rather than short term results.
Set aside $20 a week and you’ll save more than $1,000 annually.
Invest 4 years of your life in school and you’ll have a college degree for life.
Some are just plain painful. My husband’s chemotherapy and eye injections fall into this category. But both are for his greater good.
Still, choices such as chemotherapy don’t seem logical. Who would think to use toxic substances for healing? Or to insert a metal sliver in your eye to improve sight?
I confess, there are times when it feels as if God is using toxic solutions for my own healing and growth. When He:
- allows delays to teach me patience.
- uses unlovable people to teach me how to love unconditionally.
- permits me to have unfulfilled needs so that I trust Him as my Provider.
In each case, I have a choice. I can focus on my situation or I can focus on the result God is cultivating in my life through those unwanted circumstances. And although I say I want to be more patient or love unconditionally or trust the Lord more, I don’t like the process.
The choice to maintain an eternal focus is rarely easy. Sometimes it’s the most difficult thing I can do. Bu the alternative means remaining stuck in my old ways.
The bottom line is this:
- I say I want to grow, but do I want to grow more than I want convenience?
- Do I want to become more like Christ more than I want my own way?
- Is my desire to glorify God greater than my desire to glorify my own comfort?
Do I want to remain the same? Or am I ready for a change?
I’m not always proud of the answer…or my resulting choices. But every day I have new opportunities to choose differently. And I’m grateful God continues to give me those choices, continually working in me for my ultimate good and His eternal glory.
What choices are you facing today?
I know where you are sitting. I have been there. My father rolled his eyes at me as I started sharing the gospel with the lady next to him in the chemo room. But he did agree – no atheists when you’re in the foxhole. I did the same thing when my sister was at the Moffit Center. I gave away Bibles and prayed over families. But where you are sitting now is an uneasy place, EXCEPT you know Who sits beside you. And you also have many sisters praying with you, me included.
I didn’t know about your husband . I will be praying for him daily as you have done for me . Love you .
Thank you, Penny.
Great thoughts, Ava. Thanks for expressing things so perfectly. I have been praying for Russ but have been out of touch with you. My mom in MI is very ill so I am in MI right now. I included Russ in my prayers during my 30 minute drive to the nursing home this morning.
Thank you, Crystal. So sorry to hear about your mom. Will pray for her…and for you.