“Did you have a good weekend?”
This is the most common Monday question among colleagues and friends everywhere. My answer this past Monday was “NO, I did not.”
You see at about midnight the Friday before, I awoke to a gallbladder attack. Now, I’ve had stomach pain before, but this was a whole new level. Sometime between those initial pains and 4am, I was heading to the emergency room, and it happened. My mind went to fear, uncertainty and downright panic.
As my anxiety was accelerating, now came the time for me to put into practice the Bible study I had been preparing for the past few months. I needed a godly perspective on my present situation. And I needed it fast. So I recalled the 4 weeks of the study in my mind.
Week 1- Who do you trust? First, my thoughts lingered on who I was trusting in and how God’s Word is the authority in my life.
I praised Him that He is my father and I His daughter.
Week 2- Trust vs Feelings. Second, I considered if my anxiety was elevating itself over God’s truth. Yep, it sure was. So I needed to remind myself of the Truth and what He says.
He designed me, He loves me and knows exactly what is happening.
Week 3- Words Matter. Third, I asked myself, “Do words matter?” With no comfortable position for my aching body, I laid, stood and walked around my house and allowed the words God says about me to seep into my mind. Then as I prayed, I expressed to God my exact concerns and thanked Him that He listens. (1 John 5:15)
Week 4- Empowered. Lastly, my thoughts turned to week 4 and I asked God to recall to my memory a verse I could claim. As I walked into the living room, there it was on my wall, Let the PEACE of Christ rule in your hearts, Colossians 3:15a. I put my name into the verse and prayed.
While my thoughts ran through the 4 weeks of the Bible study, my fears eased and the hope and peace of God started to rule over my mind. The lessons and scriptures were now coming to life.
I will see the surgeon this week and yep, I’m getting my gallbladder removed. This life is not always easy, but Christ reminds us in John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
There is hope in Christ as we do life! Won’t you let Him reignite your hope?
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Jill Farrell has been involved in Moms in Prayer since 1998 when her family moved to San Diego and a neighbor invited her to join the group for their kids’ elementary school. As her children grew, she stepped into leader roles for middle school and high school groups. Jill notes, “God is transforming lives in our schools through the power of prayer and has shown our groups specific glimpses that His Word never returns void.” Jill is married to Bill and they have three young adult children.