On the 14th of June 2021 I was talking about the setback which will become the setup for the comeback in the post I started with “Brace Yourself…”. I referred to the beginning of this story as Chapter 1. Today, this is Chapter 3. No, I am not skipping a chapter. Chapter 2 involves yet another setback. Only God knows how many chapters will be in this story (His Story), but it started ‘man down’ – literally. As I am writing here, while ‘man down’ is busy rising again, I would like to raise a HALLELUJAH!
“As sudden as he came down, that sudden he will bounce back.” Those were the words of comfort from God immediately after it was confirmed that my youngest son had a torn ACL, as well as a torn meniscus. He would be out of action for at least 9 months. Sharing the news with one of my friends (I see him almost every day), God sent me another message: “That’s great news – that is the time it takes for a new baby to be born.”
Before I confuse you by continuing with Chapter 3, let me tell you about Chapter 2. In this chapter, my oldest son was left stranded after a freak accident in a swimming pool. Another knee injury – Bipartite patella fracture. That meant - one brace off, one brace on…one man down, one man up.
A few years back (a little more than a decade ago), one of my favorite songs was: “Come away” by Jesus Culture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZoOfGiqZ7Y. One morning while singing this song with the Lord, I saw myself on this exhilarating roller coaster ride. It was adrenalin-filled, not one of those ‘sitting on Jesus’ lap’ moments. We were going at the speed of light, up and down… up and down, all the while screaming on top of our lungs. While clutching the rail in front of me with one hand, I grabbed onto His hand and held onto it for dear life. I turned my head to the left, and made eye contact with Jesus. He had tears in His eyes – tears of laughter. We laughed uncontrollably and screamed wide-mouthed all the way. I did not experience the end of this ride, but we were filled with such an indescribable, thrilling joy. I was reminded of this moment when I heard the bad news – yet again. There will be ups and downs, but He will be there every step of the way!
Hearing the news from my son, I was not that distraught this time. This injury was not less important, but I have experienced the importance and benefit of having Jesus as our Healer and Restorer. I have seen with my own eyes and experienced with the injury of my other son, that God is with us all the way! He will never leave us or forsake us. What He started in us, He will finish. He heals. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. I have learned that our weaknesses display God’s strength.
2 Corinthians 12:9: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Sometimes His grace comes in the form of a brace. He reminds us that we need something, or Someone to lean on. He shows us that He has walked that path a long time ago, He took all those stripes (for every injury and disease) so that we can be made whole.
Isaiah 53:5: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.”
Both my sons had to go through some real tough times - Chapter 2 is still in the making, but God provided the means for rehabilitation, and healing and wholeness. Their rehab meant spending time with doctors, scans being taken, hours on the bed of a physio therapist, and coaches guiding them from day 1. God provided angels (humans with wings) for some extra support.
My second born had a teammate going through the exact same injury. They literally walked side by side every step of the way and eventually became roommates. Yes, a friend in need, can become a friend indeed. My firstborn had the example of what to do, what not to do and what to expect from his brother’s road to recovery. He also had the hope of what and who you can become going through your struggles and storms.
Our braces in life may look different, but there are also similarities:
We all need to lean on God to stay grounded
We all need rehabilitation in some or other area of our lives
We need therapists walking that extra mile with us until we can stand on your own two feet again
We need coaches to unlock our potential to maximize our performance
We need friends who walk by our sides
We need a supporting family to provide stability when we are unstable
Tough times create tough people. In our adversities, our character is being built - we are taught patience to endure, we learn to trust in God for the outcome and believe in the fact that His plan will prevail and remain the same. Together with the tussle and the scuffle, the Spirit in us will work for us. He will give us the dedication to stay strong and the commitment to stand strong on His Word spoken over our lives.
Romans 5:4 CSB: “endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope”
Hold on to God! Hold on to your dreams! He has placed them in your heart. You only have to find your gift, develop your gift and then give it away. We are here to display His glory.
You can become a showcase – a grace case from a brace case! From lying to flying!
God certainly got us down on our knees. May the next knee injury in this family be calluses – calluses from spending our time on our knees in prayer.
Comments