“It hurts because the muscle is still weak,” the physician’s assistant said to my dad. We were together for a follow-up appointment to review my dad’s physical therapy progress after his shoulder surgery. The first thing he did when the PA asked him how he was doing was to show off the movement he had on his arm. Up, down, behind, to the side he moved his left arm. I found it comical because I knew what he was doing. He was trying to escape more therapy, more hard work, more discomfort. He has been in physical therapy for a few months now and is weary. Three days a week is hard on the body as exercises get more intense. I saw the look on my dad’s face as it was recommended that he continue just a little bit longer. Disappointment. He was told if he doesn’t strengthen that arm, he could lose all movement of it. He took the advice and made it to the physical therapy office to hand in the doctor’s request. Albeit reluctantly.
My heart skipped a beat when I heard the PA’s words. A spiritual application came to mind as I thought about my recent thoughts/posts on thankfulness, faith, trust, confidence. When I lose faith and it hurts and I become deeply discouraged, my confidence-in-God’s-plan muscle needs a bit more work. When I feel continually disgruntled and dissatisfied and I hurt, my feeling-thankful-muscle requires more practice. I must put to use my faith when things seem unhinged. I must focus my heart to look for the good and the glory of what God is doing. I can tell God I’m fine and show off my strength with a brave face. Until the next test. That’s when I know just how much a specific muscle has weakened or strengthened.
God is actively working for our good even through the pain of it. We cannot let hope, faith, and thanksgiving die while there is still breath in us. My dad took the PA’s advice because he knew he would not be disciplined at home enough to do the necessary hard work because it’s tough, and it hurts. And he is deeply afraid of losing his arm’s movement. He knew he needed the aid of one more experienced to help him along this journey.
We are not alone in this pilgrimage. And when we feel we are, it is a lie from Satan because he is out to destroy and bury any hope we have in Christ. Christ says to the weary and burdened to come to Him. With experience and skill, He will aid and strengthen so that our walk with Him will be alive, effective, and capable.
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Psalm 43:5
let your mind run on them any more than you can help; drag your thoughts away from your troubles—by the ears, by the heels, or any other way, so you manage it; it’s the healthiest thing a body can do; dwelling on troubles is deadly, just deadly—and that’s the softest name there is for it. You must keep your mind amused—you must, indeed.”
Instead of going to bed tonight with all the things that could possibly go wrong, what if I imagined all the things that God could possibly make right? Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”
even start classes this semester. It could be a simple ‘fix’, sure. But since the word ‘cancer’ has been thrown out there, even a small chance, it is still a concern. And trying to interpret blood work results can make your head spin! But the God who ensured that the doctors would see this through an MRI that was actually for shoulder pain, and the God who made it possible for him to go back to school, can He not oversee an appointment scheduled at the right time? We both agreed that, yes, He knew about the timing. We even tried to get an appointment sooner, but no openings were available. With His timing, His intention is always for us to trust Him. And we are going to be okay no matter what.