Stay on Track
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.—1 John 1:9 (NIV)
Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.—DEUTERONOMY 33:12 (NIV)
There’s a whole lot of work when a severe illness strikes. Suddenly you’re taking crash courses in anatomy, medicine, therapy, finance, law, counseling, probabilities, problem-solving!
When my husband was unexpectedly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 58, I could not stop my brain from
engaging in an endless cycle of questions: What is this disease? Is there treatment? Will my husband lose his job? Will we lose our health care? Are there research trials?
I wore myself out trying to tackle every aspect of these topics. Later, I realized I couldn’t force a good result even if
I did everything possible. For instance, we chased so many research studies—waiting to be approved, not qualifying, being continually declined—and were rejected time after time.
Some relief arrived when I visited a monastery in the search for silence, peace, prayer and ultimately God. It was there I discovered a simple truth: “You are enough. You are doing enough.”
Ah. So this wasn’t up to me to solve? Nope. It was only up to me to love, trust and be fully present. Genuine rest would be found in the Lord, not in achievement.
Lord, you made me. You direct me. You have given me gifts, but it is not my job to do everything. Please continue to remind me to rest and trust in you.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.—1 John 1:9 (NIV)
Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.—Genesis 5:24 (NIV)
For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.—1 Thessalonians 5:5 (ESV)