Monday Memories: Trust

Many years ago when Mr. Marvelous Jr. was a little guy, we moved to a new city.  One of the most difficult challenges as a mother was finding a new pediatrician.  Our doctor in Georgia had begun praying for Junior as soon as we knew he was going to be.  He was a deacon in our church and he and his wife were dear friends.  How do you replace someone like that?

I asked around and finally found someone I thought would be worth trying.  On our first visit to her office we were given the tour of the office and instructed about office practices, precautions that the office took for those with allergies, billing procedures, et. cetera.  Finally we were taken into an exam room where we nervously waited for the doctor to arrive.  

She came in gently and her body language let us know that this time was for us and no one else; she was prepared to devote to us as much time as we needed.  Quietly and calmly she began talking to Junior.  She asked him about school, about home and about how he felt about our recent move.  She listened to not only what he said, but how he said it.  

After she gave him time to talk and ask questions, she began to explain to him how things worked in her office.  She sat beside him on the exam table and said, "Sometimes when you come to see me, there are going to be things that I am going to have to do that you are not going to like.  Things that might hurt or be unpleasant that have to be done to help you.  When those times come, I am going to sit beside you, just like I am now, and I am going to wrap my arm around you and whisper in your ear, 'This is the time to trust.  This is the time to trust.'  You must trust that I am here to help you, not to hurt you, and that I care about you."

That moment has preached to me hundreds of times since that day.  In the times when life has seemed to be more painful and unpleasant than I can possibly bear, I see and hear that gracious doctor with her arm around my son.  I feel the Spirit of God wrap His arm around me and He whispers in my ear, "This is the time to trust.  This is the time to trust."

I rest my head on His shoulder and as I surrender my self to Him, I gather the strength that He gives me to keep on going wherever He wants me to go, and doing whatever He has for me to do.  I do that knowing with rock-solid certainty that God alone is worthy of not only my praise, but also my trust.

He has not let me down.