My son, Phil brought a little excitement to our lives recently when he called, asking what he should do about the tremendous abdominal pain he was feeling. We talked and texted until he found himself waiting to be seen in the local Emergency Department. While sitting there, he had waves of pain, chills and light-headedness. Finally, he was seen by a doctor who ordered IV fluids and pain medication as well as a few tests to determine what was going on. It was discovered that he had a very high white blood count, indicating a serious infection. An abdominal CT scan then revealed appendicitis and he was quickly taken to surgery to have the offending appendix removed. After surgery, the doctor reported that Phil’s appendix had ruptured and therefore a tube was inserted to drain the infection over the course of the next several days. In addition, potent antibiotics were given to him intravenously around the clock in order to combat the raging infection in his gut. Thankfully, Phil was fever-free in 48 hours, gained strength during his hospital stay, and was discharged almost a week after the initial onset of symptoms. We are grateful for the prayers and the medical care he received during this crisis.
I was thinking the other day about how appendicitis could be compared with an issue of brokenness in a heart. Sometimes it’s hard to know what lurks in the dark recesses of one’s heart and quite often we are content to cope and cover in order to hide an issue under “proper behavior” and ignorant bliss. But alas, the Lord who cares deeply for us, won’t allow broken issues to hide for too long before revealing the ugly effects one way or another. We hate crisis – but sometimes I believe God allows difficult things to reveal what lies under the surface. He doesn’t do that for our hurt, but rather for our well-being. It’s like the fever of infection – it’s not to harm us, but rather to alarm us. It moves us to action! Desperation has a way of bringing us to the threshold of transformation. In our distress we may finally come to a point of crying out to God who is able to heal us and free us of the bondages in our soul. I wonder how often we refuse to pay attention to the warning signs of an infection in the soul? A small offense grows into a mountain of bitterness, and relationships are wrought with tension and strife, choking out any joy in living. At what point do we recognize the sure symptoms of disease, stop blaming others and turn to our Physician for healing? And what happens if we choose NOT to do that?
What if Phil chose to suck-it-up and ignore those symptoms of abdominal pain and shaking chills? Or, what if he chose to get checked out, but then settled on pain medication and fever reducers to deal with the negative symptoms, without pursuing the actual cause of the problem? What if he refused to lay down for the surgery, fearing the pain of the procedure or the lengthy recovery afterwards? What if after surgery, he refused follow up treatment of antibiotics, fluids and bed rest? At any step during this journey, had Phil turned his back on the next phase of treatment, he would have put his health and in fact, his very life in jeopardy. We wouldn’t think twice about getting the necessary help to deal with a physical festering issue like a ruptured appendix. We don’t suffer shame and guilt from having to have surgery. Why is it then that we would choose to ignore the infectious issues that plague our heart? Do we not realize there is Help? Do we think we have to suck-it-up and cope? Are we embarrassed to admit the struggles of our soul? Have we fooled ourselves into thinking we are healthy, and not in need of a Healer? Do we gain points from being “healthier” than the next guy? It is only when we can see and admit our own sickness that we embrace our need for the Healer, Jesus. To be so dependent upon the Lord is NOT a shameful weakness, but rather our only hope for grace and strength. Our Physician is the best in the business. Furthermore, He’s the One who loves you most, knows how to root out the infection completely, and has a vision of wholeness for your future. Let Jesus expose to the Light, what’s been lurking in the darkness. It’s going to be ok-you can trust Him with your healing and your full recovery.
"Those who are well have no need of a Physician, but those who are sick.” Luke 5:31
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