June 7 He Sees Us Through

 

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Genesis 50:20 NIV

The Scripture above is from the story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery but was then prospered by the Lord to rise to a position of leadership in Egypt so that God's people would have grain during famine.  

I was thinking about this verse today and, in prayer, said, "I've not had suffering in my life such as Joseph's..." but then I thought about having been an Alzheimer's caregiver for 16 years.  

There were unexpected seasons of peace during Mom's illness, but there was also suffering. Because of her disease, my mother turned against me during her final years and although to the very end she continued to express love, those expressions alternated with vitriolic anger.  Responsibility for her was a constant weight on my heart whether I was providing her daily care or not. 

That I did not at first think of caregiving as a signpost marking suffering in my life is due to God's provision for me during those years. When the enemy hurts us, we can depend on the Lord to help us.  He will make it right, more than that, He will bless us exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).  He brought me blessings in spite of Mom's illness, and in some ways even because of it.

I have been able to help other people through what Mom and I endured during the years she suffered dementia. This blesses my heart. And in a way that only the Lord could orchestrate, the labor of writing about our struggles forced me to analyze and express the specific ways God supplied our need.  Repeating stories of God's goodness to us imprinted these incidents on my mind and heart. My own faith was edified as I worked to comfort others who were facing similar struggles to ours: blessing upon blessing.  

Once tragedy strikes--and Alzheimer's disease is a tragedy--there is no escaping its impact.  For me, the title of caregiver was bestowed by default and not through some noble or even obedient-to-the-Lord choice; there wasn't anyone else.  I always think of Pippin's words in one of the Lord of the Rings movies: "I don't want to be in a battle. But waiting on the edge of one I can't escape is worse." 

Alzheimer's disease is a battle indeed, but we serve a God who has gone ahead of us and has already won the victory.  In every event of our lives, the Lord has plotted a course through the challenges we will face. His love cushions every blow, and His enabling power sees us through.  

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Not Me, but Him

 

The meme above features my favorite Matthew Henry quote, from his concise commentary on Psalm 121.  

 I am sorry to say my faith has often faltered beneath the threat of a frightening outcome. Most recently, I watched my mother die and then walked through the aftermath of loss, was told that my husband had cancer and endured 6 months of diagnostic tests culminating in surgery for him (he ended up with a benign report), and suffered an attack of ocular rosacea that has left me with diminished vision that I pray is temporary.  

Some times of life are just terribly uncomfortable.  These challenges and others have shown me that while I can't depend on myself or my own responses, or even on my faith, I can depend on the Lord.  

Most of the time, all I've done "right" is to cry out.  And even then, I've rarely prayed in a manner that would seem likely to gain a positive response from the Lord; I was often so bound with fear that I felt resentment over the bad thing that had happened even as I cried out for His help.  

Blessedly, my deliverance in each of these difficult circumstances did and does not depend upon me, but on Him.  

I praise His Name. 

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My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.  

Psalm 131 NIV

God's Mercy

 

I have a wonderful little Scripture book that is full of inspirational quotes along with three Bible verses for every day of the year.  This morning's selections included this quote:  

I know not what the future 

hath of marvel or surprise;

Assured of this, that life and 

earth His mercy underlies.  

John Greenleaf Whittier

It is such a comfort to be reminded that the Lord's great love will unfailingly see us through.

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I found my little book a few years ago at, of all places, Walmart, and have used it every day since. Here is an Amazon link to the book:  Bible Promises to Bless Your Heart. 

June 4

 

Inheritance Issues

 

Inheritance issues nearly always add stress when one child has performed more caregiving duties to aging parents than another.  Emotions run deep, perspectives differ, and even people who strive to live their lives according to the guidance of God's Word can stumble.  

The solution is to trust the Lord for our own well-being and that of our children, to pray for one another, love each another, and let God's peace rule in our hearts.  We can cry out to the Lord with the hurt of what we perceive to be inequity, allow for different points of view, and pray not to do damage out of our sense of injustice or fear of lack.  

In matters of inheritance of wealth or possessions of those who've gone before, we often aren't really afraid that God's will won't be accomplished; we are afraid we won't like God's will.  When we strive to take control of a situation out of a desire to lessen our own stress level, we risk causing turmoil that does not yield the results we had hoped, and may actually work against our own well-being.  Peace floods our hearts when we say to the Lord, "Thy will be done."  

It is actually freeing to recognize one's helplessness to influence a situation, even a situation we believe is unjust.  As we let the music box of circumstances play its crooked melody, we can trust the Lord to elevate the imperfect into a tune of redemption that has power to undo any harm human sin or negligence has wrought. 

We can trust the Lord for the future both for ourselves, and for our loved ones.  

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But I trust in you, Lord;
    I say, “You are my God." My times are in your hands...

Psalm 31:14-15 NIV

June 2, 2022

 

June 1, 2022