Friday, October 23, 2009

All Circumstances

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus ” I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

While having coffee with a friend, I remembered and talked about these verses from I Thessalonians 5:16-18. "Give thanks in all circumstances" would mean in the difficult circumstances. Is this possible? The knowledge of this verse became very meaningful two weeks later.

As I reupholstered a chair, a tack propelled into my eye and lacerated the cornea. A visiting neighbor drove me to the hospital. While I walked into the hospital the possibility of being blind in one eye worried me. The scripture discussed with my coffee friend came to mind, so I prayed to God with clenched teeth and told Him, “I WILL PRAISE YOU IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE.”

A noticeable peace came over me. I was admitted to the hospital and was told by a doctor that I had only a fifty percent chance to regain sight in that eye. I pictured myself with a pink, rhinestone studded, eye patch.

In the operation my cornea was repaired with three stitches. The following day the senior doctor of the clinic looked into my eye and said, “Amazing!” The thought, “amazing grace,” rushed through my mind.

During my hospital stay, I had many visitors. Four pastors who administered communion, an LPN who prayed with me every morning and the resident doctor, who performed the operation. He was very pleased with the results.

I praised God in the circumstance and the curtain parted. I saw Him at work, as if I had a front row seat in a theater and God was on stage.

You are an awesome God who gives us your will in Christ Jesus. A-men.

© 2009 Mary Burkey

2 comments:

Dawn said...

I have seen God at work in many peoples live. He is amazing. I am glad that your eyes were healed by a loving Healer.

Evelyn R. said...

I had a piece of wood fly into my eye one windy day while stacking wood for winter. I was blinded and my husband took me to the doctor. He did a marvelous job of doctoring it up. I had scratched the cornea. He put medication in it and put an eye patch on for the next 24 hours. When I went back for a check-up the eye had already healed. Isn't God wonderful?

Bonnie