donna@surewordministries.net

I recently faced a difficult time of decision making regarding my precious father.  He has Parkinson’s disease and has been having a difficult time swallowing food and taking medication.  He has lost a lot of weight and the doctors were also concerned with dehydration issues. 

What are the options for someone who cannot swallow?  In my opinion, the only humane option for this particular situation was to place a peg tube in my dad’s stomach so that he could receive proper nutrition through a syringe or bag feeding. 

Was this an easy decision for my family and myself?  Absolutely not.  In fact, I really thought, in my own mind, that my dad would have gone to be with Jesus before anything like this would have transpired.

Scripture declares that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. 

When we try to figure things out with our finite minds, we usually end up having more questions and fewer answers.  Most of the time, we don’t fully understand why things happen the way they do.  We don’t understand why certain individuals have to suffer with sickness and disease, while others live their lives with health and happiness.  We question God because it’s so hard for us to watch our loved ones suffer.  Sometimes, we even blame ourselves for their suffering.

Although life can sometimes be a struggle, the Lord has promised to be with us through each and every situation.  His word declares that He will never leave us nor forsake us.  He has promised grace and strength in our times of need.

My dad successfully made it through the surgery.  The Lord graced my family with His wonderful presence through the whole process.

Psalm 34:19 – Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

What a powerful verse!

Psalm 34:17 – The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.

When we pray and cry out to the Lord of heaven and earth, He hears and responds to our cry.  He delivers us out of all of our troubles, not just some of them.

I learned a long time ago that I do not have to know everything about everything in order to live a joyful life.  My joy is not dependent upon my circumstances.  My joy comes from the Spirit of God living on the inside of me regardless of what’s happening on the outside. 

If we want to survive difficult situations, we must completely trust the Lord.  We must not question why things happen.  We must focus on the good in every situation and give God glory for all the good things He is doing on our behalf.

We must also keep our heart attitude right in the midst of adversity.  If we are constantly complaining and murmuring about all the things that are going wrong, the Lord will not bless us.  If our hearts are right, the Lord will be able to move in the midst of our circumstances and cause things to work out for our good.

God is so faithful to His people.  If we look close enough in every situation, we will see the hand of God moving in our midst.  If we will continue to praise Him and give Him glory in and through all things, our lives will be so much better. 

I have found Jesus to be my best friend regardless of my circumstances.  He has been with me on the mountaintop and He has been with me in the valley.  When I cry, He knows exactly why I’m crying.  When I hurt, He hurts.  When I laugh, He laughs.  He knows the feelings of our infirmities and he helps us through.

Psalm 121 – I will lift up my eyes to the hills - from whence comes my help?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.  He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.  The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade at your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul.  The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth and even forevermore.