TIME TO HEAL

If you are like most SOUND BITES subscribers you are reading this early in the morning. I usually schedule the day’s quote a day or two ahead, so that whether or not I am up and about yet, it is sent at 7:00 a.m. central time. So, today, possibly while you are reading this, I am having knee replacement surgery. (Yes, your prayers for the surgery and my recovery and rehab would be appreciated.)

As I began thinking about what to share today, a quote about the similarity of grief and surgery came to mind. In his book “Don’t Take My Grief Away,” Doug Manning wrote, “Grieving is as natural as crying when you are hurt, sleeping when you are tired, eating when you are hungry, or sneezing when your nose itches. It’s nature’s way of healing a broken heart. Don’t let anyone take your grief away from you. You deserve it, and you must have it. If you had broken a leg, no one would criticize you for using crutches until it was healed. If you had major surgery, no one would pressure you to run in a marathon the next week. Grief is a major wound. It does not heal overnight. You must have the time and the crutches until you heal.”

One of the comforts of both grief and surgery is knowing that God is with us. "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9) The life of the Christian is always uncertain. There are no guarantees.  Paul tells the elders at the church in Ephesus at a time of change in his life, "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there" (Acts 20:22).  “Going and not knowing” seems to be the pattern of the life of faith -- whether in the loss of a loved one, the ending of a relationship, the need for surgery, the termination of a job, etc.  But in the unknown places, God is there before you. Lean on Him, and take the time to heal. 

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry

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