Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Revelation 21:5 (NKJV)
When my son Harper was a baby, he suffered from severe acid reflux. We took him to several doctors, tried a million different things, but not a lot helped in his case. He was in a great deal of pain, and let us know it.
The worst times were at night. In order to try to relieve him, I would sit upright in a recliner and hold him while he slept. I got very little sleep, and this went on for months. Besides not sleeping, I was deeply concerned for him, and felt helpless. This was a somewhat dangerous combination of troubles, and I became depressed.
During those times I felt my life had become consumed by Harper’s illness. The doctors who told me he’d grow out of it seemed cruel. Night after night as I faced that chair with my crying baby I remember feeling it would never get better. I could not see any light at the end of our tunnel.
John Eldredge writes that one of the most poisonous of all Satan’s whispers is simply, “Things will never change.” That lie kills expectation, trapping our heart forever in the present. To keep desire alive and flourishing, we must renew our vision for what lies ahead . . . . Jesus has promised to “make all things new.” One day the pain was gone. The miracle of becoming more upright, sitting, standing, and walking, had apparently changed Harper’s digestion to the point where his esophagus healed. This meant I could start sleeping more and quit being so worried about his well-being. I remember being almost shocked to lie down in my bed again and forgo our more difficult routine. That experience taught me the importance of perspective.
We must always hold on to the promise that Jesus makes all things new. No matter how dark things are, nor how long the night seems, morning is coming.
Faith Step: Are you going through a valley of shadows right now? Cling to the promise that Jesus makes all things new.
