Recovery

All things shall be turned to good in God’s own time…

Suffering Christ (Unknown)

I recently had some surgery.  And just as it is with everything to do with our health, the recovery was slower than I would have liked and there were good days and bad days.

And I have been thinking about that today as I have been reflecting on my God.

You see, when a person is recovering and healing, often they require far more time than they would like before they feel like their good old self.  And the greater the surgery or illness, the more time they require.

For me – because I am such an impatient person who is so determined not to stop or slow down or to take a step back – I find recovery particularly troubling.  Instead of doing what is required to get out of my own way, I find myself jumping up and down ineffectually and just making a hash of things instead of calming the situation as required.

And I have been thinking of that as I have been thinking about Christ’s final interactions with the disciples…  You see, the disciples were being asked to “recover” from the apparent failure of Christ’s mission on Earth.  And they were really being asked to sit quietly and wait while the Passion and Death of Christ took place.  They were being asked to place their trust in God that Christ the Messiah would walk through this torment and suffering – purposefully and with intention – so that He could redeem the world.  And of course it looked terrible.  It would not have looked like a logical thing.  It would not have looked like something that made any sense.  It would not have looked like Christ was doing something purposeful.  It would have looked like a terrible injustice and an awful mistake.  It would have seemed as though God had turned His back on the whole scenario and in fact nothing was going to work and nothing was right or would be right – ever again…

And I have been thinking about that today.  Because sometimes, in my won life, things appear not to work out  Things appear to be terrible and unjust and unfair and just plan awful.  And when those sorts of things happen, it can feel at times as though God had turned His back on me.  But considering the experience of the disciples, I just wonder if it should mean something else instead.  Perhaps, I am looking at this all wrong?  Perhaps, this is God’s way of leading me to my own salvation?  Perhaps when the door is closed in one area (as they say) God is opening a window to another?

Perhaps God is asking me to trust in Him as He asked the disciples to trust in Him, even when all logic implies that such a decision would be a terrible failure?

And when I think about that today, and consider the time required for my recovery, I seem to realise that all things shall be turned to good in God’s own time…  And I see a marvellous blessing in that!

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.