“The difference between a knife in the hand of an assassin and a knife in the hand of a surgeon is intent; both inflict severe pain.” Walter Henrichsen
Trusting the Surgeon
I recently drove my stepdad to Colorado for an exploratory heart procedure. It wasn’t the first time we’d driven several hours seeking the “best” surgeon for a risky procedure. It takes great trust in the “one holding the knife” when we willingly surrender momentary control of our lives to another person. And trusting your surgeon doesn’t necessarily limit the pain, lesson the risks, or guarantee the outcome you desire. But it does render peace- a peace you wouldn’t know if you didn’t trust the wisdom and intent of the person holding the scapple.
“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is fixed on you, because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is our everlasting strength.”
Isaiah 26:3
Trusting God
I think it’s fair to assume we typically won’t allow someone to inflict severe pain on us unless we believe it will produce something beneficial. It’s scary to surrender control and trust another with your life. Yet, as a Christian, trusting God is not optional, it’s essential.
It’s not difficult to say we trust God. It’s easy to sing songs with choruses like “Take my life and let it be, consecrated, Lord, to thee…” or “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give, I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.” However, when pain becomes our unwanted companion it’s a little harder to trust.
When the word “cancer” spills from the doctor’s mouth; when an accident changes our life forever; when our wombs remain empty despite prayers and procedures; when the pain ripping through our bodies is never-ending; when our closest friends betray us; when we’re swallowed up in debt and can’t see an end in sight; when our children are prodigals despite our best efforts and countless prayers; when our husbands leave- either by choice or God takes them home; and when circumstances leave us with questions that will never be answered, our emotions can blur the truths we know about God.
Knowing God
The only way to trust God is to know God. The only way to know God is to spend time with Him- in His Word, in prayer and in worship. And when we fix our eyes on eternal truths, we see beyond our finite understanding.
We see a God who is trustworthy and good. We see a Savior who willingly suffered and died to secure our eternal hope. We realize that nothing comes into our lives without being permitted by our sovereign God who intends everything to be used for our good. It is when our circumstances force us to completely surrender our lives to God that we experience a peace that transcends all understanding. It makes no sense. But it’s true. Once you’ve experienced this peace it’s undeniable.
We understand what it means to trust a doctor. When surgery is inevitable, we willingly surrender our lives to those skilled to repair our broken bodies and preserve our lives.
When fears grip us, doubts chase us, and dreams evade us, we only have one viable option. We must choose to trust our God.
Assassin or Surgeon?
His perfect plan for our lives will likely include pain, trials and suffering. Yet, the purpose of the pain isn’t to cause harm, but to cause healing. Just as the surgeon intends to accomplish something good from our temporary pain, so does our God. As a doctor is skilled to fix what is broken, God’s knowledge and skills to bring forth healing far exceed the most renown surgeons. His wisdom is infinite.
He takes no pleasure in our pain but comforts us through it and knows the beauty beyond it.
Are you trusting God today, as you would a surgeon or have you believed the lie that He is an assassin? Take time today to reflect on His faithfulness, provision and tender-loving care for you. Choose to see past your tear-stained eyes and trust our good, good Father.
About brendaszymczak
Brenda Szymczak lives at the base of Casper Mountain in Casper, Wyoming. She and her husband, Pete, have one son and five daughters, and one precious baby grandson. She has served in various capacities in both women's and children’s ministry since 2002 and is currently the Director of Women’s Ministry at Cornerstone E-Free Church. Brenda enjoys creating art with her words by writing poems, stories, scripts, and devotionals. She has a passion for helping women navigate the seasons of life that are both bitter and sweet by knowing the truth found in God’s Word and clinging to Jesus Christ through this journey. She enjoys God’s beautiful creation with outdoor activities including camping, hiking, paddle-boarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and watching her husband flyfish the beautiful rivers and lakes in Wyoming.