During those difficult moments where I had to adjust to living without a
C-PAP machine while I was also weaning myself off of the addictive
Zoplicone medicine, there were also plenty of other "fires" vying for my
attention.
My mother, back in Belgium, wasn't doing well at all,
and we were afraid she wouldn't pull through. We had to prepare for the
inevitable and be ready to leave the country at any moment. Not knowing
day by day what the outcome would be was a real challenge.
It
didn't help that my clientele at work was less than cooperative,
difficult at best, and certainly doing everything they could to make it
the most stressful year ever. Fires at my school had to be stomped out
on a daily basis, and constant vigilance on my part was required.
To top it all off, we had financial woes as well, as the tax laws
from my wife's birth country had changed drastically and had to be
addressed by a professional accountant. This took months to rectify, and
his fee was well outside of our definition of "normal." At least we
didn't owe anything tax-wise!
As a result of all this, anxiety
took up residence at my front door, and it did everything in its power
to bring me unrest. Sleep was elusive at times, and I hungered for
support from above, which I gladly received.
How easy it would
have been for me to temporarily withdraw from the ministry God had given
me. After all, I had my own fires to extinguish, and these required lots
of my time. Had I done that, however, I would have missed out on
experiencing God fully. It's during these stressful times when I
experienced Him the most!
First of all, by praying for those who
had their own fires burning brightly, it made me focus on others instead
of on myself, and somehow that helped me not to let my problems get out
of proportion. Thinking of others first helped me to see the world
through Jesus' eyes. After all, we are on a mission to help others, pray
for them, encourage them and lead them into the arms of our Heavenly
Father Himself.
Secondly, as I had nowhere to turn to, I leaned
solely on the One who would see me through. Who else could claim: "He
will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find
refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not
fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the
pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at
midday." (Ps 91:4-6, NIV)
Although I would rather have skipped
these stressful months, they were the best days of my life, for during
that time I learned to rely solely on my Father. I found that nowhere
else could I obtain such peace, comfort and rest. Jesus' words are so
true: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is
easy and my burden is light." (Matt 11:28-30, NIV)
I learned
during adversity that God cares for us much more than we may know. He
sustains us when we rely on Him, and He will see us through, leading us
to complete victory. I have completely abandoned myself to Him, and all
my stress was dissolved into trust in the One who saw me through.
The previous year, right before summer arrived, my wife was
diagnosed with breast cancer. I was shocked. How could this have
happened? What were her chances?
I immediately confided to my
Father and he gave me this promise on behalf of my wife: "And the God of
all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have
suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong,
firm and steadfast." (1 Peter 5:10)
That day I started to learn
how to leave my troubles at His feet. He fulfilled His promise not only
for my wife, but for me as well, a year later. And He will do the same
for you!
"Is anyone thirsty? Come! All who will, come and drink,
Drink freely of the Water of Life!" (Revelation 22:17, MSG)
Come
to Him and learn from Him. He will see you through, guaranteed. All you
need to do is focus solely on Him and bathe in His love.
Rob
Chaffart
Stress Dissolved into Trust. Flying Like an Eagle, Part 8
Today's Bible Verse:
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
Stress Dissolved into Trust. Flying Like an Eagle, Part 8
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