” This Too Shall Pass”

My mom used to tell me this phrase when something unpleasant was happening; like a trip to the dentist to have a cavity filled, a zit on the forehead erupting on a school day, a test in math, or some other such trivial thing.  Of course, those things weren’t trivial when I was going through them.

When Moriah was finally diagnosed with shingles (3 doctors visits and 2 wrong medicines) I breathed a sigh of relief and it “passed.”  Life could go on!  A week later and I find myself holding Bethany who is feverish, and covered head to toe with chicken pox.  (You can’t catch shingles but you can pass on the chicken pox virus)  For three days, Bethany refrained from scratching, drank the liquid I was pushing, and never complained except to say she was tired and she itched.

 This morning, I told her we couldn’t go to church and she burst into tears. 

“But I want to go to church mommy!  I need to go!” 

  I explained that we didn’t want other kids catching the chicken pox and told her by next week all of her spots would be gone and we could go to church then.

 She broke into a joyful smile and said enthusiastically,

“Oh Mommy, you mean they’re going away? 

I don’t have to be this way forever?”

I was stunned!  

Hadn’t I told her that they would go away?  She was so relieved and I started to laugh and told her,

“Of course they go away little girl. You’re going to be fit as a fiddle in no time.”

 The thing that struck me was she had quietly and patiently been enduring them without even knowing they weren’t permanent!  Wow!  I could take a lesson from this.  Many unpleasant and even difficult times come, and I complain or gripe about what I’m having to go through.  But I know “they too shall pass.”  I need to work on my perspective and long range focusing.  But what about the bigger lesson here?

As Children of God-

shouldn’t we be relieved and overjoyed

that our sinful,

broken,

fallen state

is not permanent???

Think about this for more than a minute!

Do we really understand that the salvation Jesus purchased for us on the cross includes our past, present, and future? 

He has come to change all of us- body, spirit, and soul. 

We don’t have to stay this way!!! 

One day; all sickness, disabilities, sadness, limitations, hurts, heartaches, everything wrong with this fallen world, will pass away and the New will come!  So next time I’m tempted to complain or feel sorry for myself, I think I’ll remember and meditate on what

Jesus promised, “When you believe in me- you have passed from death- to life. This too shall pass.”

Surprising Treasure:  “Since everything here today might not be here tomorrow, do you see how essential it is to live a holy life?  Daily expect the Day of God, eager for its arrival. The galaxies will burn up and the elements burn down that day- but we will hardly notice.  We’ll be looking the other way, ready for the promised New Heavens  and the promised New Earth, all landscaped with righteousness.  II Peter 3:13 The Message