At our house, we often quote memorable
lines from movies to emphasize our feelings about something. One that we repeat
a good bit is from a scene in The Help where Aibileen Clark confronts Hilly
Hollbrook about attempting to appear superior to everyone else, which usually
involves trying to control everything and everyone around her. Aibileen asks
her, “Ain’t you tired, Miss Hilly? Ain’t you tired?”
Ain’t you tired? We say that a lot at our
house.
Yes. Yes, I am. ‘Tis the season for being
tired and worn out.
We learned in early autumn that my husband,
Scott, needed some major surgery. Specifically, a craniotomy to remove a benign
brain lesion. It wasn’t an emergency, but he was encouraged to have it done
before it developed into a more urgent situation.
It took a while to get it scheduled but we
were finally given a November surgery date. The doctor told us to expect a few
days in the hospital and a least a month of recovery at home.
We made preparations and did as much as we
could before the surgery. We were praying for and expecting a positive outcome
and recovery, but we still reserved a margin of time afterwards to deal with
any uncertainties. We cleared our calendars for November and December. Any
Thanksgiving and Christmas activities would be decided upon based on how Scott
felt at the time. It was a relief, and a
little disappointing too.
As we began to let those around us know what was going on, a
good friend asked Scott, “How do you keep from getting mad at God?”
He asked that because this wasn’t Scott’s first craniotomy.
Or his second. This would be number three. I asked the neurosurgeon if he had
ever performed this same surgery three times on any one patient before. He
shook his head, no. Only God knows why Scott would have to endure having the
grey matter of his brain seeing the light of day three times. I can understand
wanting to question God about it.
I’m also tempted to consider and weigh in with something
about living an upright life, trying to avoid sinful behavior, attempting to do
good and serve God. Someone who lives that way doesn’t really deserve having to
do this three times, do they?
Wouldn’t just once be enough?
When you experience something more than once, you gain
experience, but you also develop perspective. Having been side by side to this
event three times now, I’ve come to believe that God sees each and every one of
these kinds of human struggles as opportunities for Him to prove His love and
faithfulness to us. And ours to Him.
We’re now on the other side of that third surgery and so
far, the recovery has been positive. Any new perspective I’ve gained this time
is related to how close God is in the midst of times like this. I could hardly
whisper a word or blink my eyes without recognizing something or someone that reminded
me of God’s love and care. Those reminders would still have been there
regardless of any pathology results.
Besides movie quotes, we also sometimes quote Bible verses
around our house to emphasize a particular sentiment. The verse I’ve been
repeating a lot lately? It’s Job 16:7a.
“Surely, God, you have worn me out...”
I know how you feel, Job.
Job had five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and
three thousand camels stolen from him on the very same day all seven thousand of
his sheep were killed along with all ten of his children. Then he woke up the
next day with a debilitating skin condition. Job was one of the good guys who
feared God and shunned evil. Still, there probably wasn’t any other man on
earth at the time that had experienced so much trouble and loss in such a short
amount of time.
Job’s wife tried to convince him that death would be better
than living in this misery. He responded by asking her if we should only accept
good things from God, and not trouble as well. Job was worn out, but still
clinging to God in spite of the trouble.
If we live in the world, there will be trouble. Jesus spoke
those very words to his disciples just before he was arrested, tortured, and
killed. Trouble indeed. Not even Jesus escaped it.
But then, in the same breath that Jesus said there would be
trouble, he finished by saying, “But take heart! I have overcome the
world.” John 16:32
Overcome the world. It’s what He was born to do. This year
I’m more grateful than ever to celebrate the birthday of the One that overcomes
the trouble in this world and brings peace to all of us that are worn out from
it.
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to
those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14
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