Thank you Gwen Smith for today’s message:
A friend of ours has struggled with heart problems for years. He has gone through seasons of wellness and seasons of strain. Recently, his health challenges moved from the back burner of his life to the front when his doctors recognized the need to operate.
He didn’t just need a simple procedure. He needed open heart surgery to the max. I mean we are talking valve replacements, ablations, hole repairs and more. You name it – and the surgeon pretty much had to do it.
In the wee hours of the morning prior to his surgery, our friend’s heart decided to cause problems that led them to the Emergency Room instead of the Operating Room. Thankfully, his surgeon rushed to the scene and took him right into surgery.
Hours later, his heart was repaired. In the days that followed, scary set backs came and went. Each one was dealt with head on. Thankfully, after 8 days in the hospital, our friend was able to go home yesterday.
I asked his wife how I could pray for him. Was there anything specific?
Her answer surprised me. “Just pray that he will have the will to press on through the healing process because it is going to be a long, hard haul.”
When I hung up from our conversation, I paused and reflected on her request.
In essence, I will be praying for him to have the heart {the strength, the guts, the determination} to fight for his heart to heal fully.
Wow. I know that struggle well.
Week after week, friend after friend, loved one after loved one, struggle after struggle, conversation after conversation… this is one of the biggest challenges we face. Having a heart fixed on healing. To press through to a place of wellness and strength: spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically. To not back down from the resistance before us in light of the rewards that await us. To run the race of faith well!
I’ve asked God for forgiveness, but I just don’t know how to forgive myself.
I know the Bible says God loves me, but I feel invisible. I don’t FEEL loved and adored.
I believe that God has a plan for my life, but I’m so tired of waiting for it to develop.
I want restoration in my relationship, but I will not be the one to make the first move.
I’ve lost my love and hate being alone. I no longer have the will to live or dream.
I know my eating patterns are unhealthy and they undermine my wellness, but God loves me just the way I am!
I worry all the time and struggle with anxiety. I really want to trust God, but often fail.
After we go through initial heart repairs with Jesus, many of us find ourselves as wounded believers. Close to whole, but still broken. We want healing but won’t or don’t know how to move forward in the direction of the Healer toward the complete wholeness He has for us.
This is hard stuff. I know. I struggle too. We all do.
Ultimately: every one of us is a work in progress. Our challenges and failures are real and should be acknowledged and confessed. But our faith that God can and will tend to our wounds must be greater.
So I join in prayer as our friend faces months of therapy, doctors appointments, medicine changes, financial strains, emotional exhaustion, and unseen struggles.
And I’m grateful that we pray to the one, true God who loves, sees, hears, purifies, answers, comforts, protects, forgives, provides for, refines, restores, redeems and heals those who cry out to Him. He is the great Surgeon who rushes to us in our emergency rooms and takes us to the operating room of His presence.
The One who knows how to care for every wound, burden and bruise we bear.
So, when your heart needs healing: PRAY.
Pray when loneliness, laziness, or depression takes up residence in your heart. Pray when you are tempted to anesthetize with food, wine, exercise, shopping, or pain pills. Pray when the arms of that man seem more attractive than the purity you are called to in Christ. Pray when your doubts seem stronger than your faith.
Press through barriers in the strength of Jesus. His plan is good. His power is unending. His faithfulness is unwavering. His presence is accessible 24/7.
Move in His direction and give Him the burdens of your heart.
Pray.
Believe.
Trust.
Hope Wissel 