The Reformed Life

Nothing is scarier than not being in control and protecting your kids from harm. You have the task to love, teach, and protect them from all things, but some things are out of our control. Our son was diagnosed with a rare food allergy at one year old. It took two weeks of tests and time in the hospital to come to that diagnosis. His allergy affected his mobility, that he could no longer crawl at one year old, and they believed he had a bone infection. Praise the Lord it was not the bone infection! Now we’ve moved to a new mystery; his speech. Titus cannot talk. He is brilliant and plays well but physically cannot speak. It is almost as if we are walking on that mysterious road once again. We are about to head into more testing in hopes of finding what is physically hindering his speech. It could be a minor quick fix, or it can be something that requires surgery. All we know is that we know nothing, and God knows all. 

There is nothing that we can do to speed up the process. All we can do is trust that our Lord is faithful, and no matter what the outcome is for his speech, we can praise the Lord. However, this doesn’t mean that I don’t’ struggle, knowing that there is a chance they will find something in the tests the doctors can fix, but also there is a chance they find nothing at all, and we are back to the beginning. So, will I praise the Lord if my son can never correctly speak? Will I praise the Lord if the answer we receive is not the one I wanted?

Like the Psalmist who, time after time, comes to this mystery road not knowing where the path will lead, I too will put my hope in the Lord. I will find my comfort in Him. I know that He created everything, and He makes no mistakes, including my son’s body. God deserves praise and glory even if I don’t see what He is doing at that very moment. I have breath in my lungs, three beautiful children, an amazing husband, salvation in Christ, and I know that I belong to God; He calls me His own. I can always praise the Lord despite what my situation may be. 

While we are at a crossroad wondering about the next step to take, God is not. God is always working, and His plan is always good and perfect. Often, when we do not have answers, especially with our kids, it seems we are in a constant zone of never-ending waiting. We want to know the answers; we want to fix everything, but we can’t. In the waiting, in the quiet moments, living in the unknown, how will you respond? Will you be frustrated or display anger? Or, will you rejoice in the Lord and trust that He is always faithful to His people? Our responses in this waiting period are on display for others to see. Our family, friends, and even the doctors will see how we respond in this moment of having no control. 

I remember sitting in the hospital with Titus and having a doctor and his students come in again to talk to me and say they have no clue what is going on, but they are trying. The doctor looked at me as I spoke to them and said, “I have seen hundreds of parents in your shoes, yet none as calm and joyful as you. We keep poking your son and doing tests, yet you are so calm. I don’t get it.” At that moment, I got to tell all those doctors why I could have joy in the unknown. My answer is Christ and Christ alone. 

So, friends, in the seasons of life when we are sitting and waiting in the unknown, I pray that you find joy in Christ. That you will remember God is faithful, and His plan is always good and perfect. God’s faithfulness is evident in every Christian life, so take time and think through how God has been faithful and praise Him for it. He is good and deserves all the praise. 

Soli Deo Gloria,

Courtney Chambers

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