Growth Through Testing

Each new day that we are here is a challenge in patience and faith. We are at that place were there are lots of questions and no one has any answers.

Josh ran a high fever all night, so they began putting ice bags on his forehead and under his arms. They tests for infection are still showing negative which is a good sign (we think) but they can't tell us why he is running a fever.

They have him scheduled for a CAT scan in the the morning to make sure he does not have anything in his lungs. They are trying to get him moved back to the pediatric floor so they can watch him closer but they are waiting for a room to open up.

This morning in my devotions I read about how afflictions (trials or challenges) can be a means of refining or purifying. The title was Teaching By Trials and was from Romans 8:18.

¹⁸ I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

As I studied other verses about trials and suffering, I came across a verse in Job 36 (warning ... don't read Job unless you want your faith to grow). One of Jobs friends who had remained silent for a long time finally spoke and asked Job how he could question Gods motives.

He went on to say in verse 15

¹⁵ But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering;
he speaks to them in their affliction.

We are confident that God has not abandoned us in Houston Texas. That He is working on something that will reveal His glory through us. So the question is, God what are you doing and how can we be a part of it.

We know that athletes grow strong by doing things that are painful, students study to learn, in our marriages we have to go through difficult things to grow closer. In our spiritual live we have to go through times of trials to grow in our faith in God.

In the devotion the author told of a discussion with a doctor who told him that a person who had fought sickness and disease all their lives was better able to resist it then someone who had never been sick a day in their lives.

Our bodies build up immunities to fight off infection by going through the test of being sick. Spiritually, we can build up defenses against sin and giving into temptation through the trials we go through. Our faith is strengthen by exercising it. The exercising part is not fun, but it prepares us for what God has in store.

We don't enjoy being in the hospital watching our son fight off cancer, but we are confident that God is growing our faith in Him and preparing us to serve Him, and we choose to use this experience in our lives and Josh's life to draw others to Him.

We hope you have a blessed Sunday.

P.S. Only a few hours left to vote on your favorite hat.