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Hardship may come upon us for many reasons.
Job 5:6-8 (New International Version)
For hardship does not spring from the soil,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground.Yet man is born to trouble
as surely as sparks fly upward.
We may bring hardship on ourselves through our mistakes or our own sin. Hardship may be brought to us by others or through the impersonal presence of evil in the world. God may use the megaphone of pain to get our attention.
There is one thing all hardship has in common.
It lays us out and opens us up for something to be taken from us…
a dream, an object, our health, our mobility, our privacy, our security…
a freedom, a pleasure…
a person!
a relationship, our social standing…
a wrong priority, a poor emotional investment, an attachment, a selfish ambition, a cherished view of ourselves, a lifestyle that competes with God’s intention for our lives.
But, something will be removed and we will have to live without it, sometimes temporarily and sometimes for the rest of our lives.
There’s a recovery period, a risk of infection, the possibility of complications. The longer and more invasive the surgery, the harder the recovery.
Fight for recovery. Fight infection. Fight to avoid complications.
But don’t fight The Surgeon.
James 1:2-4 (New International Version)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
(christian counseling, christian psychologist, coping, depression, emotions, mood, sad, faith, God, hardship, Trials)
The Other 167 Hours 
17 comments
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August 29, 2010 at 12:51 am
~L
September 6, 2010 at 12:22 am
soccer girl
another good song!
August 29, 2010 at 12:40 pm
themerchantsdaughter
a person!
September 4, 2010 at 11:07 pm
anonymous
:(
September 6, 2010 at 12:21 am
soccer girl
My childhood!
August 29, 2010 at 5:05 pm
CherylV
The mind boggles at the “good stuff” in this post!
My life has proven that God whispers in the good times and shouts in our pain (Sorry I can’t remember that word for word…sounds like a Google search is coming). God’s been shouting at me for quite a while now and even in the pain I confess that my faith and my reliance on Him are lightyears developed from where I was 15 years ago. So I grudgingly admit that the pain has been good for me. SIGH.
“Fight for recovery. Fight infection. Fight to avoid complications.
But don’t fight The Surgeon.”
Encouragement. Good to be reminded NOT to give up. Especially for me… today…fighting day after day is so wearing. Why does it mean so much when friends encourage us to keep fighting, to keep trying to “find” recovery? Maybe it’s because what I actually hear is “I care about you” in whatever words they use. I have a few close friends who are so supportive and so “there” for me I don’t think I’ll ever be able to communicate to them how much it means (esp. when family doesn’t encourage like I need…)
Another great post, Dr. Hamilton. I’m off to the Recovery Room now (pun intended !) =)
August 30, 2010 at 10:55 am
CherylV
I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but I can’t get that rotten string of stars to stay at 5 STARS.
August 30, 2010 at 12:04 pm
David Hamilton
Do you mean the rating of posts or comments? You just tap the fifth star right? (or click, I mean. Thinking iPad)
August 31, 2010 at 9:51 pm
~L
quit showing off you ipad :) lol …. i may do something impulsive and have to buy one :)
September 1, 2010 at 9:20 am
anewday
Too funny, Thinking iPad, are computers getting outdated for you? :)
Just curious….. What are the doctors operating on in this picture? It looks like parts to a car?
September 1, 2010 at 10:13 am
David Hamilton
FYI for those who are interested: A thoracic surgeon is performing a mitral valve replacement at the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center.
August 29, 2010 at 5:15 pm
CherylV
L ~ Just went & listened to the song you posted. Thank you! What a great song. I’ll have to check into getting it at Baker Book House…
August 31, 2010 at 9:50 pm
~L
Cheryl, You’re welcome…. it’s been on repeat a lot lately. I think i should create a blog just for music that for anyone who wants to share songs that help as they heal from heartache can perhaps touch someone else with the gift of a simple listen of a song…. I tend to post a lot of music on my blog… but it usually follows much rambling:) Just music that speaks to the hurting heart… hummm… I am tempted to start a new blog right now :)
August 30, 2010 at 9:59 am
Healing Today
Thank you for this post. It came at the perfect moment in time yesterday in the midst of a life and death crisis. It was like God telling me, It’s OK, I’ve got everything under control and it’s my plan that matters, not yours.
September 6, 2010 at 1:35 pm
searching
Fight for recovery. Fight infection. Fight to avoid complications.
But don’t fight The Surgeon.
Wow! This is beautiful!
October 30, 2010 at 3:47 pm
CherylV
Just in case anyone cares, here’s the quote I mentioned previously: “Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” C.S. Lewis
May 14, 2011 at 8:47 pm
breathing... mostly
you are a very wise woman I am thinking, Cheryl!!! I have really liked all your comments. :)