“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.”
–Psalm 62:5 (NLT)
The phone rang, and while I normally like to screen my calls, something urged me to pick this one up. “Why not?” I thought. “I might have won something!”
But sadly, I was not a Publisher’s Clearinghouse grand-prize winner. It was only the doctor’s office, reminding me of my appointment.
Getting to the office ahead of time was not an option with my transportation, so I ran through the door and hurried up to the desk. Just as I figured, though, they told me to wait, so I sat down and opened my phone. And just as I did–you guessed it–my name was called.
There was the usual small talk, followed by the same old questions. Then came the part I dreaded more than anything else. The 5 words which filled my heart with terror were, “Step up on the scale.”
As the medical assistant gave this order, I knew I had eaten too much turkey, and my hands began to shake. But, gritting my teeth, I obeyed anyway, holding my breath in anticipation.
Taking the few steps to reach the scale seemed like an eternity, but the outcome was just as I had feared. In spite of going to the gym most days and watching what I had eaten the rest of the year, I had gained weight, and I knew my life had changed forever. The results of that scale test left me feeling so overwhelmed that I tuned out the rest of my appointment.
I thought about my fateful appointment for the rest of that day. I soon realized that my experience with the scale in the doctor’s office was a lot like facing life after Thanksgiving. I’m not merely talking about the effects that eating too much turkey and dessert will have on one’s life. I’m talking about making a conscious decision to step up on God’s scale.
Just as the medical assistant asked me questions, let me ask you one that I hope you will really stop and think about. Then both of us can take decisive action while encouraging each other. Your simple question is: How much do you weigh spiritually?
This question is important to consider, because when we step back into life’s routine after the Thanksgiving holiday, we often feel overwhelmed and stressed out. We forget what thanksgiving really points to, and we allow ourselves to become burdened down.
Now you may say, “With pressures and deadlines being a very real part of life, how do I give that weight over to the Great Physician?”
Well, I’m glad you asked, and that is what we will discuss for the rest of this blog.
As a fellow wrestler, I have found one of the most powerful ways to do that, and I would like to share it with you. We can step up on God’s scale by allowing thanksgiving to become part and parcel of our everyday lives.
The first step, therefore, is to know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the God of the Bible is bigger than any problems you may face. Along with this, you must know that whatever you go through, He is good. As I once heard my pastor say, that doesn’t mean everything we go through is good, because it’s not. However, the Bible tells us that God can work out all things for our good.
We are all learning and re-learning these concepts, as Satan often tries to derail and overwhelm us. Therefore, as I may have to do this tomorrow, David is one of the key figures in the Bible who encourages me. To see this, you only have to read the Psalms, for David often asks questions which are surprisingly similar to ours. But don’t stop there, for once you’ve turned a few pages, you will find tremendous declarations of praise and thanksgiving.
David knew that the secret to living a thankful life was not to be ensnared by his own feelings. While he did have to wrestle with these, he always returned to God’s faithfulness in the end.
To see a picture of this in the New Testament, think about the story of the Philippian jailer with me. Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown into prison for preaching the Gospel. But although their backs were bloody and their feet were in stocks, they still sang praises to God–though I’m sure they didn’t feel like it. If you remember, it was right after that when the prison doors flew open, and I’m sure that they experienced a real boost when they saw how God was working.
Now I’m not telling you something miraculous like that will always happen in our lives. I’m saying that since God is on the throne, He can fill you with His peace and joy.
Try climbing onto God’s scale instead of the one at the doctor’s office, and lose the weight of your problems today!
Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.hcmachaplains.org and click on the Donate Now link. You can also send donations by mail to HCMA (Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association). Our ID number is 560. The address is 101 S Kraemer BLVD, Suite 123A, Placentia, CA 92870.
Finally, you’re always welcome to join our Tuesday night Bible study. These studies are conducted by conference call, and they take place at 5:30 PM Arizona time. Our conference number is 313-209-8800. Our PIN is 8699032. We hope to talk with you soon!
If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 507-369-6861.