On June 8th my youngest son John had emergency oral surgery to drain an infection that was out of control. It took about a week but he did get better. He was so much better we let him volunteer as a camp counselor and go for an airplane ride Saturday. Although he had been complaining about a different tooth hurting it wasn't swollen or as sore as the tooth a few weeks back and I thought this couldn't happen twice.
I regret now waiting because late Saturday night the pain got worse by Sunday his other side of his face started to swell just like last time. I got a hold of our dentist who on a Sunday opened up his office and took a look at John.
At this point John wasn't too bad but hurting bad so to be on the safe side he put John on the same antibiotics he just came off of and got him some more pain meds then told me to get him to the specialist ASAP Monday.
Monday morning the pain was worse the swelling is much more prominent and by his appointment with the specialist it was obvious an infection had set in again. Again John had emergency surgery to drain the infection and hopefully reduce his pain soon. Monday night (last night) he spiked a fever and today although the fever is down he still has one. This is day three on the antibiotics and I am thinking he should be some better but isn't.
I haven't slept well these past three nights. Leaning on God and trusting him or even praising God in this trying time isn't coming easy for me.
I am trusting God and have placed John in His hands but praising God
not so easy when I see my son hurting so.
Leaning on God and trusting him to heal and praying that is easy.
Then I remembered that not to long ago I read a blog of a woman
who was challenged to Praise God for the loss of her pregnancy at 18 weeks.
To Thank God for everything in her life including this loss.
She wrote how peaceful she felt after stepping out in faith
her pain eased as she did praise God.
I thought wow she must be a strong Christian to do so.
Now faced with my own trials I am thinking how brave of her to follow that advice to praise God during the bad.
So Here I am struggling to Praise God for what we have been dealt with. It isn't easy to humble myself and Thank God for this trying time but I am struggling through it and I find myself a little bit more relaxed and comforted by God's love.
Philippians 4 verses 6-7:
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
This verse tells us not to worry but pray with thanksgiving not just pray or Praise God in just in the good times.
Psalm 100, verses 1-5:
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.
The verses say nothing about making a joyful noise or serve the Lord with gladness only when times are good. They both are saying we should be doing these things all the time and HE will bring us the peace we need all the time in good and bad times.
I am so thankful that my faith is strong enough to step out and praise Him and Thank Him even though my heart is breaking seeing my son hurting.
When I stepped out in faith and fully praised God with all of my heart I heard that still small voice reminding me God felt the same when His Son was being beat,
then hung on a cross for all of our Sins.
God knows my pain, my sorrow and my worries because HE has been there and now I am finding it much easier to Thank God for this trial. I felt his peace just like that gal who just lost her unborn child felt the peace from her sorrows when she
thanked God for her hard times.
It is so Very Very True that God is faithful and merciful to all who
believe and trust in Him.
Blessing to All
Debbi
