I have come to a point in my life that I have, quite literally, been unable to do a thing. Back in the mid part of November, 2011, I fell at work causing severe injury to my left knee. At the time, I was still able to work, although the wearing of a knee brace was required. Through various doctor appointments, and letters back and forth from the doctors and workmans compensation, I waited for the time that surgery would have to be done to correct the injury I sustained. Finally, the big day came, January 30th, 2012 I underwent complete ACL reconstructive surgery. I was assured that this is a pretty routine repair with most patients recovering and resuming their normal lives within 3 to 4 months. I was extremely pleased as I was told that I would probably be able to return to work on light duty three weeks after my surgery. After all, I have responsibilities to take care of. I was really only concerned with being able to return to work, and not really concerned about the surgery or the physical therepy I would be going through. Let's say that I had a "no pain, no gain" attitude about everything and just wanted to return to being me as quickly as possible. I might also add that I assumed my Christian walk was just fine, and that God was going to take care of everything I wanted and help me get back to where I wanted to be.
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9 NIV
"Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor." Proverbs 18:12 NIV.
Surgery proceeded and I was in and out and back home the same day. New ACL, mild pain, pain killers, and the mindset that this was only going to set me back two weeks. I did everything the doctors told me too, I was in physical therepy, I was making my appointments, I returned to work 2 weeks after my surgery, life was great and I was still at the top of my game, or so I thought. Then it happened, I noticed that one of the incesions did not look quiet right. I waited for two days thinking that it would just heal up, but I ended up going to the doctor. They treated me for a small superficial infection and said that I would be as good as new in no time. However, things continued to worsen and on Feb. 23rd I found myself at the doctors with him extracting 80cc's of infectious material from within my knee, and then into emergency surgery. I lost all the new ligaments and stuff the doctor had fixed on the 30th of January due to this infection. I was placed on antibiotics for the next 6 weeks and told that I would not be returning to work anytime soon. It was, in fact, a quiet serious infection in which I could have lost my leg had I waited and done things my way. I have now been faced with this faucet of life: Lying in a chair unable to do anything.
You might be asking yourself where I am going with this and here's where I answer that. Most of the time we make our own plans for life and expect God to go along with whatever we've planned. We think we are the one's who deceide where and when things happen, even when it comes to injuries. As I lay in that chair the first week after all this happened, I searched for answers. Why me? Why did this happen now? Who's going to pay the bills? Etc,etc.. And in one moment, God opened my eyes to something that I had been taking for granted. As I lay in that chair and looked around at my surroundings, I realized that everything around me was from God and He was there with me. I have a beautiful wife and three beautiful children, one away from home, that I had been neglecting for some time. I had a place to live, I have food, why was it that all I pursued was work? Why was it that all I wanted to do was to get well enough to get back to work?
God desires that we enjoy life, but part of enjoying life is also enjoying Him. We enjoy Him when we realize that we are not in control of anything in our lives. He is the giver and taker of all, it is God who allows us to have anything in this life. Not us. I had been under a proud spirit. I was going to get well and go back to work because I needed to make sure that I had what I had! Sure, I am a believer and I give God all the glory, but one thing I have noticed through all this is my prayer life. I spend too much time asking God to give me, to bless me, to honor me, to favor me, me, me, me.
As humans, we have desires that are passed on to us from those around us. Maybe in the way we are raised or taught, but one thing is very clear, we spend a lot of time worrying about how much we are going to have. Most of our prayers, if we are honest, are about this very thing. God desires that we seek Him out and serve Him because we love Him. Because of what He did for us by coming to earth in the form of a man and dying for us so that we could be with Him. We get so focused on this life here that we forget that. We start trying to direct our own paths because we want this or that, and it is during that time we become prideful. "I asked the Lord for a new job and He gave me a job where I make 80,000 a year and now I am going to buy this and go here and then I'm gonna....." It is God who allowed you to have that job, or house, or whatever, but now that we have received we say, "Thank you Lord," and start running down a road God doesn't intend for us to go.
As I have been going through this, God has shown me that all I have ever had, or will have is because He allows it. Sure, I have pain, I am not able to do anything right now, but He is here with me, guiding me, and bringing me back to what He desires for me. And what He desires is that I acknowledge Him, worship Him, and thank Him that some day I will be where He is. And He desires that for all of us. God will use whatever means are necessary , even if it involves suffering, for gaining our attention. He wants us to have a fulfilled, happy life, but He wants us to have that life through Him. He wants us to know that it is by Him that we have that life and not of ourselves. The Bible teaches us that God detests a proud heart. Why? Because He can do nothing for that heart as that heart says that it is by me that this was accomplished even while knowing that life is sustained by God.
Jesus came that we should have life and life abundantly. Jesus wants us to share that life with Him, letting Him guide and direct our steps because, after all, only He can see where our steps are going to lead to. As we pray, let's try to focus our prayers on what God wants to tell us and do for us, and less on what we want to tell God and have Him do for us. He is always there, arms open to receive, but we need to be there, arms open too! Remember also, that for most of us, there are others in our life that we might also be taking for granted, and God desires that we be in relationship with them too. Many times it is our own families that take the brunt of our pridefulness. We seek new income or other things, thinking that this is what those around us desire to be happy. One thing I have learned from my situation: My family just wanted to be with me just like the Lord. As I have been unable to do physical activities, I have been able to spend quality time with Christ, and with my family. All I ask now is that God would continue to direct my steps, and that I would place my feet within His tracks!
Harold Trent
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9 NIV
"Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor." Proverbs 18:12 NIV.
Surgery proceeded and I was in and out and back home the same day. New ACL, mild pain, pain killers, and the mindset that this was only going to set me back two weeks. I did everything the doctors told me too, I was in physical therepy, I was making my appointments, I returned to work 2 weeks after my surgery, life was great and I was still at the top of my game, or so I thought. Then it happened, I noticed that one of the incesions did not look quiet right. I waited for two days thinking that it would just heal up, but I ended up going to the doctor. They treated me for a small superficial infection and said that I would be as good as new in no time. However, things continued to worsen and on Feb. 23rd I found myself at the doctors with him extracting 80cc's of infectious material from within my knee, and then into emergency surgery. I lost all the new ligaments and stuff the doctor had fixed on the 30th of January due to this infection. I was placed on antibiotics for the next 6 weeks and told that I would not be returning to work anytime soon. It was, in fact, a quiet serious infection in which I could have lost my leg had I waited and done things my way. I have now been faced with this faucet of life: Lying in a chair unable to do anything.
You might be asking yourself where I am going with this and here's where I answer that. Most of the time we make our own plans for life and expect God to go along with whatever we've planned. We think we are the one's who deceide where and when things happen, even when it comes to injuries. As I lay in that chair the first week after all this happened, I searched for answers. Why me? Why did this happen now? Who's going to pay the bills? Etc,etc.. And in one moment, God opened my eyes to something that I had been taking for granted. As I lay in that chair and looked around at my surroundings, I realized that everything around me was from God and He was there with me. I have a beautiful wife and three beautiful children, one away from home, that I had been neglecting for some time. I had a place to live, I have food, why was it that all I pursued was work? Why was it that all I wanted to do was to get well enough to get back to work?
God desires that we enjoy life, but part of enjoying life is also enjoying Him. We enjoy Him when we realize that we are not in control of anything in our lives. He is the giver and taker of all, it is God who allows us to have anything in this life. Not us. I had been under a proud spirit. I was going to get well and go back to work because I needed to make sure that I had what I had! Sure, I am a believer and I give God all the glory, but one thing I have noticed through all this is my prayer life. I spend too much time asking God to give me, to bless me, to honor me, to favor me, me, me, me.
As humans, we have desires that are passed on to us from those around us. Maybe in the way we are raised or taught, but one thing is very clear, we spend a lot of time worrying about how much we are going to have. Most of our prayers, if we are honest, are about this very thing. God desires that we seek Him out and serve Him because we love Him. Because of what He did for us by coming to earth in the form of a man and dying for us so that we could be with Him. We get so focused on this life here that we forget that. We start trying to direct our own paths because we want this or that, and it is during that time we become prideful. "I asked the Lord for a new job and He gave me a job where I make 80,000 a year and now I am going to buy this and go here and then I'm gonna....." It is God who allowed you to have that job, or house, or whatever, but now that we have received we say, "Thank you Lord," and start running down a road God doesn't intend for us to go.
As I have been going through this, God has shown me that all I have ever had, or will have is because He allows it. Sure, I have pain, I am not able to do anything right now, but He is here with me, guiding me, and bringing me back to what He desires for me. And what He desires is that I acknowledge Him, worship Him, and thank Him that some day I will be where He is. And He desires that for all of us. God will use whatever means are necessary , even if it involves suffering, for gaining our attention. He wants us to have a fulfilled, happy life, but He wants us to have that life through Him. He wants us to know that it is by Him that we have that life and not of ourselves. The Bible teaches us that God detests a proud heart. Why? Because He can do nothing for that heart as that heart says that it is by me that this was accomplished even while knowing that life is sustained by God.
Jesus came that we should have life and life abundantly. Jesus wants us to share that life with Him, letting Him guide and direct our steps because, after all, only He can see where our steps are going to lead to. As we pray, let's try to focus our prayers on what God wants to tell us and do for us, and less on what we want to tell God and have Him do for us. He is always there, arms open to receive, but we need to be there, arms open too! Remember also, that for most of us, there are others in our life that we might also be taking for granted, and God desires that we be in relationship with them too. Many times it is our own families that take the brunt of our pridefulness. We seek new income or other things, thinking that this is what those around us desire to be happy. One thing I have learned from my situation: My family just wanted to be with me just like the Lord. As I have been unable to do physical activities, I have been able to spend quality time with Christ, and with my family. All I ask now is that God would continue to direct my steps, and that I would place my feet within His tracks!
Harold Trent
Comments
Post a Comment