Recently, I met a woman who had a near-death experience after a skiing accident when she was twenty years old. Sixty-two years later she described the event vividly. She was a cradle Catholic, but that radical life experience challenged her to always be open to the guidance of God so she could live out her bonus years as He intended. She feels that God has a special purpose for her and that is why he has given her more time. She has spent over six decades raising children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, working as a nurse, a legislator, and a chaplain. Retired now, she is still open to what God has planned for her remaining years.
I know people, and you probably do too, that have survived serious illnesses. When they got their diagnoses, they feared the worst, but after treatments, they felt like they were given a fresh start – that God allowed them to live because he had a special plan for them.
Radical experiences like these, awaken people to the truth that their life has meaning, that God is personally involved, and our lives are not ours alone. Those challenges can become like correctly fitted eyeglasses, removing the blur and correcting the astigmatism so the wearer can focus on the important things in life like family, friends, and faith. A friend once told me that for her father, the happiest days of his life were the days that followed his cancer diagnosis: food tasted better, the sky looked bluer, everything was just clearer, crisper, and wonderful.
Many of us that haven’t had the ’gift’ of a focus correction may not have the insight to see that God has a plan for all of us, from the moment we are conceived, not only after a major life crisis has passed. Acknowledging that truth, is the first step to living our lives to their true potential for our own joy and the glory of God’s generosity.
Scripture: Read Isaiah 40:31. What stands out?
Call to Action: September 17th begins our next series of Hope and Healing. If you are suffering from loss, trauma, divorce, or illness, join Dr. Patrick Ford for strategies to find peace and joy after suffering. See the bulletin to register.
