Waiting

While I was struggling for air for five weeks, frightfully congested with a severe chest cold, my breathing completely stopped multiple times a day, I remembered certain bits and pieces from Sacred Scripture that gave to me what I needed, what doctors and medicines could not give: hope, courage, and patience. Yes, it was good that I received medical care, and yes, my amazing parents gave me unfailing physical care as well as emotional support with their love, but my mind, my spirit, could not be treated, comforted, or strengthened by anything or anyone but the One who made me.

I put my life into God’s hands, and I came to believe that He would heal me and bring me out of the sickness, the distress. This is faith. But being steadfast in faith can be very difficult for us humans, especially in times of suffering. Sometimes I became uncertain, but mostly I became impatient, as I wrote about in my last post. And then the Word of God would fill my memory and my heart again, and I was able to “be strong and courageous” by simply waiting — waiting on the Lord, trusting in Him.

If you, dear reader, are suffering now or have ever suffered — and I know that you have, because you are human — then perhaps these passages will help you as they helped me.

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Psalm 62:

For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.

He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.

How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.

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Even now, as the effects of the virus still linger in my airway with some fatigue and a bit of asthmatic-like coughing throughout the day, I am reminded of the essential importance of being patient. The Prophet Isaiah puts everything so well (of course) in chapter 40:

Why do you say, O Jacob,
    and speak, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
    and my right is disregarded by my God”?
²⁸ Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
²⁹ He gives power to the faint,
    and to him who has no might he increases strength.
³⁰ Even youths shall faint and be weary,
    and young men shall fall exhausted;
³¹ but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.

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God is steadfast, God is faithful — it is right and good to put all of our trust and hope in the Lord and fear not. Though we quiver and tremble, may our hearts remain open to God’s love, to receive God’s promise of mercy. No matter how great our sufferings, He will never abandon us.

We don’t know what the future holds for us, but we do know one thing: the future is in God’s hands. God is love. Love never ends. In whatever form God chooses in His lovingkindness, salvation will come.

© 2024 Christina Chase

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Feature Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash