Let me explain.
My two-year-old daughter, the adventurer, got some bubble bath in her eyes...and no, it wasn't just a little bit either! She was screaming for about 45 minutes. She couldn't even see for the first 10 minutes.
Well, my wife is pretty cool under pressure and called the doctor's office immediately. They said it shouldn't be a problem if she flushed my daughter's eyes out really good.
So my wife prayed over her, followed their instructions, and then did what any good parent would do: she put some Visine into my daughter's eyes to help with the discomfort. The only problem was that Visine, when mixed with some bubble bath products, can create a chemical reaction.
That was about 3 p.m.
I got home from work at a little after 5 p.m. and my little girl was still rubbing her eyes. I didn't think much of it at the time; but when she kept crying for a long time after we put her to bed (longer than usual) and had rubbed the skin under her eyes raw, we decided to call the Poison Control officials and see what they said.
They informed us of the possible chemical reaction and encouraged us to take her to the emergency room just to be safe. There was apparently a possibility that the chemicals had caused abrasions to the surface of her eyes.
So here I was, holding a screaming toddler in the waiting room for what seemed like an eternity. When they finally got her into the exam room and began the typical medical check (pulse, blood pressure, temperature, etc.), she went ballistic.
So they gave her a mild sedative and we waited. She screamed right up until the very minute she finally fell asleep, mind you...no use making dad visit the emergency room without all the trauma of a TV show!
Anyway, as I held her there in the exam room, I kept reassuring her: "It's okay...Daddy's here. It'll be all right. I know... I know it hurts. We've prayed and God is making it better. The doctor is going to see us in just a little while."
I realized how absolutely powerless I was to help her, other than to comfort her. I don't know if it helped or not, but I was right there with her, in the midst of her pain and confusion.
God Is Present In Our Pain
I began to think about how often it seems as if we are in pain and feel not only helpless, but alone. It was as if God Himself were speaking to me. He reminded me that He is present in our pain.
The difference between our Heavenly Father and me is that, while I could hold and comfort my daughter, there was nothing physically I could do for her to help her.
I don't have the medical training necessary to help in a situation like that. I go to professionals for something like that. God, on the other hand, is not only present in our pain, He is ready, willing and able to help us.
We don't have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He's been through weakness and testing, experienced it all - all but the sin. So let's walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.It is important to remember that His offer of assistance and His hand of healing are available for us. Jesus paid a high price to make God's help accessible to us.
(Heb. 4:15-16 The Message)
It is up to us to reach out, ask for it as His children, and receive it. What I mean by that is to stop what we are doing, pray for God's guidance and help, quiet ourselves, and then "listen" for what He might be speaking to our heart.
Sometimes the answer we need will come from reading the Bible, His very words to us. Other times it comes through the guidance of a trusted Christian friend or a spiritual mentor. Sometimes the situation is so desperate that you may need to seek out a Christian counselor to help you find practical, biblical solutions.
The good news is that my daughter's eyes are fine.
I have good news for you, too. Your life isn't so broken that God can't fix it. God specializes in changing hopeless situations! The Bible is filled with them. I would encourage you to seek Him out and allow Him access to every area of your life.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.