I did not understand how serious our son’s condition was when I brought him to the emergency room (ER) after his pediatrician diagnosed him with Type 1 diabetes. A couple of ER doctors tried to explain what was happening, but the terminology was too much for me to comprehend. I was too focused on comforting him through multiple attempts at having an IV placed in his little body. However, once we moved to the transitional care unit, a nurse gently explained to me that he was “very sick” but that he would be okay once the insulin started to take effect. We later learned that he was in “DKA” (diabetic ketoacidosis) when we arrived, which is a life-threatening complication of diabetes where the blood sugar is so high that it could lead to a coma or even death.
I sat in amazement as I processed this information. I couldn’t help but think about:
- How I was wavering about calling the doctor when I noticed his excessive thirst.
- How quickly the nurse responded to my call and worked us in for an appointment within the hour.
- How the pediatrician ordered blood work when she had no other evidence from his physical appearance that something was wrong.
- How all of this happened while my husband was home from work (which allowed me to leave home as quickly as I did to get our son to the doctor and then on to the ER).
In all of these things, I realized that God had been working on our behalf the entire time. In the midst of a scary, challenging, and life-changing event, God was WITH us. Without the wisdom, guidance, urgency, compassion, and grace that He provided every step of the way through every person involved, there’s no way our son would have received medical care at just the right time to prevent a tragedy. I had all of the reasons in the world to be downcast and devastated by this diagnosis, but in that moment, all I could be was GRATEFUL.
It is hard to utter words of thanksgiving when life is hard, when things are not going well, and when we are in challenging circumstances. It is easy to allow our minds to be so overwhelmed by the reality of the situation that fear and worry take control. We may even feel that God is not present in our situation because it doesn’t change or we don’t see expected answers to our prayers. But when we stop focusing on what is happening TO us, we can see how God is working FOR us.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (AMP) tells us: “in every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Sis, that means there is SOMETHING to be thankful for in EVERY situation, even the hard ones! So today, I encourage you to look beyond where you are, what you see, and what you hear and find something to thank God for. When we focus on the things we can be thankful for despite our circumstances, we open ourselves up to experience God in a very personal way. Choose to give thanks in trying times.
Let’s Get Practical: Reflect & Grow
Take some time to reflect on your hard situation in detail. Think about the questions below as you reflect, then write a prayer of gratitude in your journal.
- What thing(s) do you already have in your possession or at your disposal that have been helpful during this situation?
- What people have been present to help you navigate and get through this situation?
- What lessons have you learned as a result of this situation? How have those lessons impacted your life?
