What do you do when your
child is sick?
I think that, for every
parent, this is one of the most heart-wrenching moments of parenthood. When
your little one is helplessly ill, and there’s nothing you can do to make the
“ouwie” or the thing that’s making him feel bad go away. And we tend to do what seems easiest to do: Worry.
My little Gabbie has been
sick on-off for almost a month now. He first contracted Bronchitis early
February and just last week, his colds and cough are back. Just today, his
doctor read his x-ray result to me and it was Pneumonia. Thank God that he
started on his anti-biotics three days back (during his first check-up with the
doctor) and today, the doctor said he is much better, on his way to recovery.
It hasn’t been easy. Not
for my little boy who had to contend with runny nose, incessant,
sleep-interrupting sleep, and diminishing appetite. Not for his mom who worried
every single day with every cough, increase in temperature or untouched plate
of food.
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| Carrying a sleeping, sick Gabbie |
I worried and worried.
And I was exhausted from it.
For parents, worrying seems
like a default emotion, configured in us the minute we get pregnant. We do it
by instinct, on cue and with abandon. Some of us even relish it, using
parenthood as a “license” to worry.
But let me tell you, as a
mom who faced WORRY the last couple of weeks, boy, I’m sick of it! And I’m
really not fond of it anymore. It sapped me of strength, paralyzed me, and
offered no relief from itself. When I worried, I worried all day, everyday for
I was reminded to do so every now and then.
And the thing I hated
most about it? Worry brought me to a desolate place.
Jesus Himself said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
(Matthew 6:34)
Worry is rooted in fear,
and fear is the opposite of faith. Each time I allowed myself to worry, I moved
myself farther and farther from faith, which is my connection to God. Even as I
looked to Jesus, worry blurred my vision.
Yet, Jesus was pretty
clear about it: Do not worry.
I may not understand
everything, I may be looking at my sick son now, but I am called not to worry.
How can I not? Well, I can look to the things that I know for sure: My God is
more powerful than any illness, He promised to look after my household (Psalm
91), and His will for us is good, pleasing and perfect (Romans 12:2).
For worrywarts like me,
my most practical tip whenever worry tempts you into its trap is this:
Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell
God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience
God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard
your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
And as I prayed this, I remembered. I remembered how God, the Almighty
has come through on all of our heart-breaking moments as a family. We went past
the experience of the premature birth of our son, with his health constantly in
question then even by his doctors at the NICU everyday. God carried us through
a half-million debt with nary an incoming amount in sight back then. And on a
more personal note, I remember how I, as a woman fallen and wretched, was
forgiven cleansed, loved, and put together with my husband and given a family
filled with love and joy every day. I remember now, Lord, how can I forget?
It was you Lord back then, and it is still You
right now. You are the same yesterday as you are today. You are faithful to me
now as you were in the days past.
Truly, with a God as mighty and as faithful as
He is, what room can worry occupy in my heart?
So parents, moms in particular, rest in the
knowledge that it is God Himself who is taking care of you and your family. It
is God who will equip you to take care of them best way you can. The rest, God
will handle. So, breathe easy Moms, God is there, always ;)
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| Feeling better already: God is good! |
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