2 Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
It is often with hindsight, as we look back over events that we can begin to see the hand of God in our lives, in a way that was not so discernible during them. As I reflected back over the months preceding the demise of my physical health, I could see how circumstances and experiences had been put in place to prepare me for what was to happen and more importantly to sustain and strengthen me to cope with them.
God’s provision during that season was abundant. I asked my house group leaders to pray for me and to pray specifically for the tests which I needed to happen sooner rather than later. In less than forty-eight hours I was in hospital and within a week I had had them! I experienced the love of God in a way that I had not known before and I was overwhelmed by the number of people who visited me, or wrote to me with words of encouragement and Bible verses.
Feeling physically weak and frequently short of breath I had plenty of time just to sit in God’s presence in silence. It was an opportunity for God to bring healing to my heart, both spiritually and physically. It paved the way for a different pattern and pace of life, and new opportunities to be involved in the work of the Kingdom of God. I experienced first hand, in a new way that though my heart and flesh may have been failing, that God was undoubtedly the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. God did indeed direct my heart into his love and enabled me to persevere.