Sunday Writing... 7-21-19... "SCARY TIMES"

Good morning faithful readers!

Today we read about "SCARY TIMES" in our lives. Are you experiencing just such a time in your life right now?  Read on for comfort in how to handle them.

Blessings,
Jan

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Today's Devotional: 

"SCARY TIMES"

by

Jan Andersen

Something scary happened at our house last Sunday evening.  I had been in bed for about an hour and was fast asleep.  My husband goes to bed later, because he has the luxury of being able to get up later since he is retired.  I was awakened by a sound coming from our living room, like something falling against the wall shared by our bedroom.  I jumped out of bed and raced to the living room only to find my husband had fallen between the end of our couch and one of our recliners, landing on the end table which had collapsed into pieces under him, and the lamp on it was lying across his back.  He was struggling, trying to get himself untangled and up.  I yelled at him to “stop!" so I could get the lamp off of him first, and then he luckily was able to get himself up.  But that wasn’t the end of it.  He said he was ok and not hurt, but kind of stumbled down the hallway to go to bed.  Twenty minutes later he was on the floor at the foot of the bed!  This time he was not talking clearly but was able to move all his extremities, though not well enough to get up.  After checking his blood pressure which was only a little high, I had to get him to tell me where his blood sugar meter was and how to use it.  This was quite difficult as he was not using the right words or thinking clearly.  Turns out his blood sugar had tanked to near coma levels!!!  A call to 911 and a tall glass of juice, followed by EMT’s arriving to take him to the emergency room and a 2 day hospital stay all finally got him squared away and back home.

Thank God he fell and broke our antique end table!  Had he not, he may have just lain there, gone into a coma and passed away.  Just the thought of that possibility is quite scary to me!  So, I am glad he has to put that table back together and that he is going to be well enough to do it.  While at times I might give him a hard time about things he does or doesn’t do, I don’t want to “do without” him!

Sometimes something scary happens in our lives that turns out to be a blessing.  When doctors tell us they found “something suspicious” on an imaging study, it can be frightening.  But if the doctors don’t find it, they will not be able to do anything about it.  When addicts hit bottom and lose everything including job, home and family, it can be shocking both to them and to those around them.  However, often it is only then that those who are addicted are likely to undergo the daunting task of working on their recovery.  

There are times when we experience something scary and are overwhelmed with fears.  We are in good company, because even those whom Jesus chose as his 12 disciples were frightened and ran away when He was arrested.  But sometimes those scary times are necessary for a hidden blessing to occur.  When Jesus was put to death on the cross, it was horrifying to those who loved and followed him.  Their teacher and leader was not supposed to die like this!  He was supposed to overthrow the Roman government and establish a new kingdom.  Now they faced the formidable task of going on without Him, or so they thought.  They needed to understand that Jesus was not gone forever.  Three days later he rose from the dead, walked the earth with them, and then ascended to heaven and sent his Holy Spirit to the disciples. Thank God for the scary time of the crucifixion, for without it we would be condemned.  We need to understand as well that He is always with us, to walk us through whatever we face, especially scary times!  For it is then that our faith can be strengthened and that our trust can be a light in the darkness for others.  God can use even horrendous things in our lives to His glory. 

Romans 8:28 ESV And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Father in heaven, we thank you for the scary times in our lives that have turned out to be blessings.  Help us to trust You and remain faithful at all times so that we might be a strong witness to others.  In Jesus’ name,  Amen.  

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Song:

BLESSINNGS

Laura Story

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Prayers are lifted up daily for you by the Devotional Writers and the Monthly Writing Staff of Women's Focus Ministries

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