I just came back from a walk.
Normally, I don’t walk in the morning; I go to work in my home office. But my anxiety was high yesterday and remained high this morning. I decided to walk and pray and – hopefully – calm down.
I reached the end of the road that I walk on, turned around, and started back. The road has very few houses and basically no traffic. It is right above a forested stream and is used predominantly by walkers. Today, however, with the heat and humidity already rising at 9:00 a.m., I had only passed one other person – a friendly woman who jogs the road regularly. I don’t even know her name, but we smile and greet each other when our paths cross.
As I rounded a curve, I came upon her – on her hands and knees where she had evidently fallen, shaking, drooling, and completely delirious. I called 911 instantly and stayed with her until they arrived, reassuring her and preventing her from further injury. The EMTs were great, carefully taking her into the ambulance. They said the likelihood was heat stroke.
I walked back home, praying for her. I thanked the Lord, because it was clearly his hand that brought me to the right place at the right time to help this woman.
But realize what his hand used to bring me there: my anxiety. A difficult and stress-filled day yesterday, a restless night short on sleep, and continued anxiety and emotional upheaval this morning. Had I been feeling good today when I woke up, I would never have gone on that walk. I would have started work on my projects.
So, as I sit here, writing this, I thank God for my weakness. For the anxiety that wouldn’t let up. For the broken night’s sleep. For the tension that drove me out of the house this morning so that I would be right where God needed me to be to help a woman who had collapsed at the side of an unfrequented road.
Today, you may be struggling with something you consider to be a weakness. You may be having a terrible day. Keep your eyes open – God may be on the move. The weakness you want to get rid of or the day you wish was over and done with may be part of his plan to show grace and mercy to someone in need. And, believe me, that grace and mercy will spill over onto you as well.
“And God has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’ Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
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