doodle: endurance
Here are some ramblings from my journey… Still exploring, still learning, still seeking deeper understanding, still growing…
Within the context of a loving relationship, conversation is the thing that keeps us connected, interacting, engaged, growing…
If prayer is conversation with God, does the way we pray contain all those elements that say we are truly connected and engaged; open and honest; responsible and committed; intentional and sincere? A well rounded sum of all that goes into a heart-to-heart, deep, meaningful conversation?
Prayer and the reality of living in a corrupted world
A friend called me today. “I’m on my way to the doctor’s office,” she said. “Please pray that all my test results come out good.” My instinct was to assure her that I would pray that way. But this whole journey in changing the way I pray is teaching me to pause, to not rush into blindly blurting out the first thing that comes to my head.
I have often asked friends to pray for me this way. As though prayer is a magical wand that has the power to instantly transform things; that existing medical test results could be rewritten over using only the words or outcomes I wish to see.
I do not doubt, for one second, that God is capable of doing miracles and still does miracles in our world today! I grew up thinking of Him as this supernatural being who demonstrates his power by doing supernatural things. Like making cancerous tumors disappear; like straightening out a deformed leg; like raising a dead body back to life… instantly!
But just how often do we see these miracles or experience them?
And we do know that at the end of the day, we will all die, one way or the other. So while a miracle might buy us a little more time, the truth is that we will all die at some point in time because our deteriortaing bodies will succumb to some form of disease or other.
Having been through near death experiences myself, I know only too well how frail our bodies are. These are not the bodies we were originally designed to have. They are not what our perfect Creator designed and created for us. Our original design was flawless and meant to last forever.
Sometimes we see God intervene and slow down the progress of this degenerative process, if only for a while. I heard this week that a friend’s cancer went into remission against all odds. Another friend told me that her enlarged heart is suddenly healthy again after having miraculously shrunk back down to it’s normal size.
And I am thrilled for them!
On the other hand, we see the degenerative process get a firm hold of a loved one and drag them through death’s door. My Dad struggled through a series of health challenges that eventually led to his death. We fought as hard as we could, for long as we could, but eventually we lost that battle.
As I write this, friends are fighting for the life of their precious infant son who has a rare form of cancer and desperately needs a liver transplant. Which way will the story turn? I know which way I want it to turn, but there are no guarantees.
How do I pray for this family. As they have tests done, day after day, and they wait on doctors to tell them what the tests say, do I pray for good results?
I do. Because I want to see him live. I want to see his young parents spared of pain.
And along with that, I also pray that if what the tests reveal are reflections of the corruption our fallen world faces, they will believe the Creator walks with them in their journey and holds them close, providing for their deepest needs, helping them to represent Him well in the midst of every high and low.
That may not be what we want to hear…
I am learning to pray this way too:
“To those that mourn, Creator be their comfort. To those who despair, be their hope. To those who buckle under the burden of pain, be their strength. To those that wilt under depression, be their encouragement. To those that face problems, be their wisdom. To those that face danger, be their courage. To those that wrestle with unbelief, give them faith in you.”
“Nobody is free from pain. How we chose to walk through pain is what makes or breaks us,” I once said very wisely; but in a half-brained, naive sort of way.
Easier said than done.
But, this is my journey. Yes, I desire to experience miracles and see miracles all around me, everyday. But in the midst of the reality I live in, the corruption my body and soul are exposed to, I want to keep choosing life – in my thoughts, in my choices, in my decisions, in the way forward.
There is one thing I can count on, whatever happens to me or my body here on this earth. Death is the gateway beyond which I will live forever; restored to my perfect, flawless, original design; in the presence of my Creator; the way I was meant to. But until that day, I will choose to say what the Psalmist said, in the midst of the corruption he faced:
“I will not die, but live,
And declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord.” –Psalm 118:17,18
Through mountain-top experience and dark valleys, may we choose to consistently represent our Creator well!
You may also want to check out these related posts:
http://www.ducodivina.com/on-hitting-the-mark/
http://www.ducodivina.com/on-asking-for-the-right-things/
http://www.ducodivina.com/on-praying-responsibly/
http://www.ducodivina.com/on-how-then-should-we-pray/
~shini abraham, ©2017, duco divina – contemplative doodling
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