3/29/17
Mary-Kate Miller
John 6:35 – 37
“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.”
Do you trust people easily? I have a hard time doing so, and to be honest, I even struggle trusting God at times. My Scripture passage come from the Gospel of John (6:35-37). This passage talks about trusting God and allowing God to provide for us. This passage challenges me and gives me hope.
Two years ago my little sister, Grace, had brain surgery. She had been diagnosed with a rare condition called Chiari Malformation (a condition in which brain tissue extends into one’s spinal canal). Once this unexpected diagnosis was made, the events unfolded to correct her condition happened very fast. So fast, in fact, that I never felt like I had time to fully prepare myself. This was a tough time in my life, and a very challenging period for my faith as well.
As I said before, trust does not come easy for me. I found myself with no other choice but to place the well-being of my sister in the hands of complete strangers. I had to trust that the surgeon knew how to get the job done and that he had steady hands to do the job correctly. I had to trust that the nurses would help the recovery go smoothly. I had to trust in other members of the medical team that I didn’t even get a chance to meet. There were so many circumstances in which I felt I had absolutely no control and I wasn’t even sure who I could trust. In those times, it was clear that God wanted me to put my trust (and my sister) in His capable hands.
Throughout the entire process, I continued to see blessings God provided: supportive phone calls from friends, outstanding care from the doctors and nurses, God’s love shown to me by my church family. The fact that Grace got discharged from the hospital two days before she was supposed to also showed me that my trust had been well placed. Throughout the journey, I learned that trusting God may be difficult, but the reward for placing my trust in Him was far greater than I ever imagined it to be.
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for providing your time, compassion, and love. Thank you for letting us know that you are always here for us in times of happiness and in times of distress. Thank you for putting people in our lives who help us on a day to day basis. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Thought for the Day: Anything that you hunger and thirst for, God can and will provide. Trust that he will take care of you!