The Black Death...

So my family and I became the lucky ones as of late to acquire the 'black death'. I. E. the dreaded stomach bug. That's right. The works. Chills, fever, nausea, diarrhea, and the one I dreaded THE most...throwing up. I have never in my life felt so sick. All I could think about was, "I just want to feel human again." I felt horrible! And so did my family! Daddy is the only one who made it out unscathed. This thing was horrible! I pray it's the last sickness for a while. We don't get sick around here too often *rock on wood* but, when we do, we go down hard!
But while I was laying on the couch going in and out of my fever dreams, the Lord reminded me, "Hey, this is only a short term illness, My dearest Kaitlin. Jessie has been living in a hospital." Jessie is a 10 year old boy, who we know from our church. He was diagnosed with Leukemia. He had a bone marrow transplant this past Thursday after going into remission. And by the grace of God, this is going to cure him of his cancer. But I can't help but think, He's so young. He has so much life ahead of him. He's going to do a great many things. Why are children having to face a battle with cancer? Why? They haven't done anything wrong. They haven't sinned greatly against God, as some of us have. So, why are they having to deal with something so adult? "IT'S NOT FAIR! HE HASN'T DONE ANYTHING TO DESERVE THIS!" I screamed silently to the Lord while I thought of Jessie, so fragile and weak and gaunt looking. Having deserved NONE of it. But the Lord reminded me, "Kind of like how, My Son didn't deserve to be beaten beyond recognition? Kind of like how, My Son didn't deserve to die a grueling death on a cross? He DIDN'T deserve it. BUT He did it anyway. There was a PURPOSE in all of it." I felt a ton of brick fall on to my chest as the scales were removed from my eyes.
I tend to focus on the physical world. The world I can see around me. The pain, the hurt, the grieving. But the Lord has a purpose in it ALL. Jessie is a testimony to the his doctors, his nurses, his parents, his church, his school, his friends. EVERYONE that has and will hear his story will hear about how God took him through hell to show him the other side. So, next time you see the pain or hurting or grieving of this world, remember that it may hurt for a moment, but the eternal effects matter much, much more.

"It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed." Deuteronomy 31:8