Sometime in January/February, I was at the Walmart pharmacy. I was in a really bad mood and in a lot of pain. I was so frustrated because my back had been hurting for about a month and I had no solutions. I had to wait for my prescription and I was sitting next to this sweet lady who was also waiting for her prescription. I felt like the Lord was prompting me to talk to her but I really DID NOT want to. I wanted to sit on the bench and pout. I argued in my head with the Lord for a little bit and then I finally listened and struck up a conversation with her.
Her story goes something like this...
She has three kids. All three of them are in their early twenties. One of them is getting married soon. When her kids were little, around the same ages as mine are now, her husband was diagnosed with cancer. He still has cancer. He has been battling it for twenty something years. He has gone through chemo, radiation, etc, and was about to start chemo again. We talked about the sweetness of life, how you can never take it for granted, and the beauty of suffering. We also talked about how hard illness can be and about some medical nonsense. Being your own advocate, etc. I was actually disappointed when the clerk called my name and it was time to go our separate ways.
I walked out of Walmart that day a with a bit of a spring in my step. I was encouraged because God put her in my life.
Fast forward to last night. It's April 2nd and I am still in pain with a lot of questions. Jason, the kids, and I went to Walmart. To pick up a prescription and a couple of other things.
Guess who I saw? You better believe I
(As it was happening that song, "oh, I believe there are angels among us, sent down to us from somewhere up above...." popped into my head. Remember that song? It was popular in 2001 I think??)
I used to love that song! What a great story!
ReplyDeleteOh sweetie - makes me want to cry at the goodness of God ..... to you. Always unique to our individual pain and circumstance. Thank you for sharing that. Miracles still happen.
ReplyDeleteRecently a person dear to our hearts was telling our class of a situation in her life. She said that after much counsel to a person in her life - many attempts at solutions that failed - exhausted from seeking - she felt called to tell this dear believer of God - I feel that this is a season that you are "called to suffer". She said that she did not like delivering the message that she felt the Lord put on her heart. A week later the woman came back to her and thanked her - she said finally she was just able to "sit" with that. A temporary peace coming over her. I thought of you when I heard that story. At first I wanted to say - No, I am not ready to accept that for her Lord - and I still do not believe it is permanent - but for now - "it is what it is". This and the story of the lady at WalMart is, to me, encouragement for where you are right now - that the suffering is not "in vain". I think right now of the scripture that says, "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
1 Peter 5:9-11 AMEN!!!