Waiting and learning

Photo by Nick Torontali on Unsplash

Note:
I started writing this post already on February 20, 2020
The reviewing, checking and rewriting took longer than normal.
Due to different circumstances, of which the Coronavirus situation is one of them.
I hope you will still enjoy reading this post.

Waiting and learning

Around Feb 10, 2020, I received the letter from the hospital with the date for my kidney stone removal procedure.
It will be at the end of March.
I felt it was a bit strange because we had requested for February

I was curious, so I called the Hospital, and as you can guess, they are very busy, so I am scheduled for March.
Normally, as far as I understood, if it is too busy, they will refer people to a different hospital.
However, the specialist who handles my case wants the procedure to be done in the hospital I have been taken care of for my heart condition.
They also informed me that there is also a chance that it will be sooner, and if that is the case they will contact me again.

I already feel that the hospital could be busy, but I just wanted to make sure.
So, as you read this, I am still waiting, but at least there is a date for my kidney stone removal procedure.
Update: Due to the Coronavirus, all appointments and admissions, where possible, are canceled and will be rescheduled after the Coronavirus situation is under control or over.

I think it was November 2019, a good friend of mine asked me, how I was looking at the fact that my procedure is moved to 2020.
(The reason for this was that my wife Tess wanted to spend her holiday with her family in the Philippines.
So it would be better if the kidney stone would be removed after she is back again.)
“ Are you nervous or excited or relaxed, tens?”.
I answered, “maybe all of them”.

On one side, nervous because I have no idea how it will go.
On the other side, a bit relaxed because (and maybe this sounds strange to some of you), I have faith that it will go well.
It is comforting knowing that there is someone greater than me who will always be with me and going ahead of me in this process.

It is a feeling inside my heart that I could not easily explain in words.
If you are a Christian, you know what I mean.

Learning

In the last week of February, my wife Tess and I, also attended two bible studies.
Not all of them were planned, but they were nice to attend.
It’s nice, because in every bible study, you always will learn something.
And it is nice to expand your knowledge of the bible, hear how it is to others and how they experience it.

In both Bible studies, we talked about almost the same bible verses.
James 1:2-5 (NIV)
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Romans 5:3-5 (NIV)
3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

When reading these verses and also hearing what my bible study members thought of the above verses, I also started to connect them to what I am experiencing right now.

We all go through different trials/problems, I face mine, you face yours.
If we persevere through these problems/trials they will build our character. I do believe that our destiny is not defined by the trials/problem we face, but by how we respond to the problem, how we handle the situation and what we learn from it.
As a believer, it doesn’t mean that life will be easy.

I can testify that life is not easy, as you may have your own story as well. Looking at my own health situation, my first heart operation, several years later, my second heart operation, and hemorrhage which causes my reading problem, now my heart failure problem and my kidney stone.
One after another, it is not easy.

So many different health problems.
But inside I do not give up. I persevere. Why?
Because I know that all that I am facing right now will build my character for the better.
Sure, these are not nice to go through, but I have “peace” with it because I believe that I will go through it well knowing that God will strengthen me

Keep on praying/asking.

During our second bible study, we discussed James 1:5 (NIV).
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given.

When I read it the first time, my thoughts were that God will give what you ask/pray for, to anyone who is without fault/sin.
I thought it made sense.
However, who in this world is without fault/sin, except Jesus himself.
Then I understood, I should interpret it as “You should ask God for it and He will give it to you without any pre-conditions.”
There is no “but” or any pre-condition, to receive the wisdom from God.

Our pastor also looked at the original word “ask” in Greek.
The word “ask” in Greek means “repeatedly ask” God, which imply for us, to not only ask once, but keep on asking/praying, or whenever you need
Wisdom from God, anytime you ask, He will give it to you.

I see it like, staying in touch/contact with God at any time.
Perhaps, some also will say, by staying connected with God, you are building a stronger relationship with God.

So don’t give up! Persevere, repeatedly ask and pray!

God Bless

P.S.
I would like to give a token of recognition/thanks, to Bro. Rihard Pasaribu, for his time, help and guidance, in realizing this post.

Loading

2 thoughts on “Waiting and learning

  1. Thank you for this encouraging message in your health experience. Truly we continue ask and pray to our Sovereign God who knows everything even Jesus Christ fell with his face to the ground and prayed 3 times to our Loving Father that if it is possible the cup to be taken from him not his will but the Father will. I’m enjoy reading. God bless you and heals you Bro. Pierre.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.