A young woman lost her husband to heart problems. An older man lost his wife to cancer. A middle-aged woman was in the hospital for major surgery. A second one received a diagnosis of cancer, and a third woman was rushed to the hospital and had a torn aorta. I sat in shock at all that had transpired in one week among my friends of various ages.
Life is fragile. I reached for a box of tissue and went to the Florida room for a time of reflection. As I looked through the window, I saw a male cardinal on the fence and my Nandina bush loaded with bright red berries. Life continued to go on around me.
I wondered about the fear, frustration, anxiety, denial, depression, loneliness, insomnia, numbness, or worry the families might be feeling. They were in my thoughts and prayers.
In view of all that had happened in seven days, I asked myself two questions, “How would my life change because of that news? How would I handle similar difficulties in my life?”
Perhaps you are a caregiver for someone in your family. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one recently. Perhaps you struggle with a life-threatening illness or are in the hospital for surgery. What will you do?
Psalm 62:5: “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.”
Dear God, please help me find rest in you. Amen.
Application: What will you do this week to accept God’s hope?
Copyright © by Yvonne Ortega February 23, 2015
