Thought for the Day:
Romans 12:12 “Rejoice
in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (ESV)
I came across Romans
12:12 this morning as I spent time with God by reading and praying. I was struck by the three commands that form
this thought group and how well they work together for an amputee (or any one
recovering from illness or difficulty).
Rejoice in hope: We are reminded to look forward beyond our current
struggle to a time where we will be free of the burden we currently carry. I find that it makes difficult, unpleasant
times more bearable if I recall that they are only temporary in nature. Most things that we face are relatively short
in duration: a few days, a few weeks, or a month or so. Even a short period of time seems extremely
long when we are suffering through it.
Hope helps lift our head and reminds us that it won’t always be like
this. As a Christian, I know that this
current physical life, although it may last for 80-90 years, is insignificantly
short compared to eternity. So even if whatever
I face will last the rest of my lifetime, I can look forward with joy to a time
when all my troubles will be laid aside.
I remember that while in the wheelchair for the first 3 ½ months after
surgery, I just kept focused upon walking again when I got my prosthesis.
Be patient in tribulation: While we are going
through a rough patch, it is easy to lose it emotionally. The more we struggle against it, the deeper
we can get in emotional quicksand.
Constantly dwelling upon our pain, discomfort and how unfair life is
will only intensive our distress. God
calls us to be patient. According to
Merriam-Webster Dictionary “patience” is defined as: bearing pains or trials
calmly or without complaint; manifesting forbearance under provocation or
strain; and not being hasty or impetuous.
I am reminded of the words of Jesus in John 16:33 “I have told
you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have
trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (NIV). Don’t be surprised when trouble strikes. It is going to happen. Don’t let the bump upset your apple
cart. Stay calm and be patient. Have you noticed that worrying and being
upset never makes the time go faster when we are stuck in difficulties? Give it some time. Realize that it will take as long as it
takes. New amputees are filled to
overflowing with questions, like, “How long until I walk?” “When will my restrictions be removed?” “How soon until I can resume doing my
favorite activity?” There are no set
answers. Everyone is different. So just relax and when the time is right it
will all happen. Being anxious about it
won’t turn the pages on the calendar any faster. Being rather new to this “patient attitude” skill,
I really don’t have a good understanding on how to develop it, except by facing
trial after trial and trouble after trouble.
Eventually when wave after wave of trouble keeps knocking you down, you
learn how to not fight the tide. When
you don’t struggle against it, life becomes more peaceful. I am pretty amazed sitting in the various
waiting rooms watching people lose their patience because of the wait. I am amazed because I use to be one of those
impatient people going nuts as the minute hand moves on. I have to admit it feels strange being calm
and not getting uptight; but it feels good.
Be constant in prayer: finally, constantly pray. Talk to God about everything that hurts, everything
that bothers you and everything that you struggle against. Don’t just ask Him to remove the difficulty
from your life. Ask Him to develop your
character so that you can stand up under it better. Pray for wisdom in how to respond to it. God has all the resources that we need for
each day’s trouble. We just need to ask
and figure out how to put to use what is available. Part of prayer is turning things over for God
to deal with them. I lay what burdens me
at His feet and they become His problems to deal with. And then I need to let Him be God and deal
with them in the manner and in the time of His choosing. Don’t forget to thank Him for all He is doing
for you! Look beyond the problem at hand
and spend some time giving thanks for all the blessings you have in your
life. Your life won’t be perfect; but it
won’t be without some positive, encouraging things as well. Don’t spend all of your emotional energy on
the negative—look for and find the positive and then celebrate it. Focus your attention on the beautiful and
good and acknowledge where it all came from.
So once again, “Rejoice
in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12, ESV).
Following God’s plan
won’t eradicate all of difficulties from your life; but it will help you deal
with them in the best manner possible and make life just a bit sweeter!
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