On a day when the Bible lesson was about the trials of Job, our family had some struggles of our own.
It started with Larks climbing a La-Z-Boy-style chair and falling headfirst over it, catching the radiator with her face. We are still waiting on the x-ray results on the nose, but the lip is still quite swollen and the bruising is really starting to show.
Ez had his own ailments when his stomach started hurting and he sprung a fever. His constant moaning led us to believe it might be more serious so we went to the ER. This was not exciting for anyone involved, but the staff at the ER was very kind and tried to help as best they could. His x-rays showed extreme constipation and his fever showed he had a virus of some sort--though all the traditional tests came back negative.
The ailments for both kids carried through today as well with Larks gaining Ezri's virus and cramping which led to Vikki spending the day on constant bathroom duty - even though very little success was achieved. I say all this to say that some days are longer than others. I cannot begin to imagine the struggles and despair Job went through as he lost almost everything (he did keep the pessimistic wife!) and YET HIS TESTIMONY REMAINED FIRM.
As I was bringing five kids back to Richland after Bible Study last night, Vikki called and was telling me of the problems that awaited my return...and the kids in my car needed to know that sickness happens to anyone. And even when Christians don't have the answers, we can still trust the God who loves us more than we could ever imagine. So I had the awesome opportunity to go from them telling me all about the lesson (Job) to my explaining in present day how we can still trust God even when we can't see what's gonna happen next.
Even when it hurts.
Or hurts people we care about.
Even when they are young. God is faithful. On long days. On hard days. On days when we think things should be better but they aren't. God is still good. And my prayer is that God uses EVERY opportunity of our pain for his glory--that people might see our faith and want to know God better. That we might be open to the opportunities on those long hard days to still see what God is trying to do in and through us. And praise God things aren't worse than they are--or could be.
Things could always be worse--much worse. And life is a different kind of hard for everyone. Yet by God's grace here we are. May he provide the strength and healing and wholeness for all who need it, and perseverance and a stronger testimony for those God chooses to allow to go through those deeper waters.
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