Maximus faced a Goliath today! Well for a 7 year old, little boy, who has seen his brother have blood draw after blood draw, yet not actually experiencing it himself – this was a GIANT to face!
His first response to the news was fear and anger. Then he cried. We prayed, talked, and then he surrendered, and said he was ready to do this with the attitude of David – God would fight for him, and God would make him brave!
What God taught me is an incredibly important lesson for my own life through this seemingly small and short moment in time with Maximus.
It was interesting to see, as much as Max didn’t like the news I had for him, he fully understood there was a good reason behind having to go through this fearful event in his life. Even more important than this, was to see him process his initial emotions, gather himself together, as he walked bravely with his hand in mine down the hallway to a scary place of unknown. While he was facing something scary and painful to him – he trusted me fully. He never doubted me once whether I should be taking him to this place. He knows the depth of my love for him. He has an assurance and security in me to do what is best for him, even when it hurts.
We entered the lab and he was quieter than I think he has ever been in his life. Anyone who knows Max, knows quiet isn’t his thing. He was ready to do what he needed to do. He was brave.
He sat on my lap and I held out my hand for him to clench as tight as he needed to. He cried as the needle penetrated his skin, I was there, holding him, wiping away every tear – all while my own heart ached to see what he was going through, yet knowing this was for good and holding back my own tears welling up in me. Through it all Maximus stayed calm, didn’t wiggle. Which again is not the norm for Maximus – he’s a fire ball of energy. But he also had listened to my voice when I had prepared him and specifically told him of the importance of no matter how much it hurt to not move – otherwise he may have to go through it again.
He left with his stickers, shook it off and was ready to move on. We talked about how in life sometimes we just have hard things we have to do, but we know somehow it is for our good.
This is when the Holy Spirit awakend me to see this in a bigger picture – a picture of my relationship with Him. I have been struggling a bit with my own fears and unknowns for life.
This is what He taught me-
No matter what He may ask me to face in this life, no matter what unknowns, I am reminded that He is my Father and I am his precious child. That as He asks me to walk down seemingly unknow scary “hallways”, through doors of uknown, that I can do it remembering His love for me. There will be no doubting as to “why” He would take me to this place, because I just wouldn’t even doubt that my “Father” would do anything less than what is good and best for me. I can listen for His clear voice and make sure I do what He asks of me.
I will be able to sit on the lap of my “God”, to go through the pain holding tightly to His outstretched hand for me, to trust Him fully, to submit to him, to cry and have Him wipe away every tear (Rev. 21:12 & Psalm 56:8) – to have His comforting arms around me- Just simply knowing He loves me just because I’m His. Never a thought this was to harm me, and that He is doing it all for good!
Now, I must be completely real about this whole thing. Maximus was promised a reward at the end of all this. A big old lollipop that he has been dwelling on, talking about, dreaming of for quite some time. So in the midst of his moment of anguish, I continued to remind him of what he had to look forward to.
What a great and Mighty God we have – that He relates with us in such a personal level. He is a Father who loves his children with the only Perfect love that exists. And as we walk through the “hallways” of uncertainty, through the “doors” of the unknown in life – we too, are promised a reward to eagerly anticipate, and know will be fulfilled!
“and behold, I am coming quickly and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” Revelations 22:12
“for our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more excedding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things, which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Very true Leah. Thank you for the application and the scriptures to how it relates to us as God’s children.
You know what I like about this blog for you? It’s, unlike facebook, you will be able to save all this in a book, just like a journal and look back at it and see, not only what you were doing at the time, but how you will have grown in the Lord. How your thoughts and views of Him will have changed because He is always revealing more of Himself to us. I know I have a better view of the Lord now than i did a few years ago and I know they will change again as He shows more. We change because He can’t! He is amazing like that! And your writing ain’t to bad either!:)
Tricia! Yes, good perspective! I thought bout this too – how this is pretty handy to have my thoughts, what the Lord is doing right here in one place as a keepsake to look back on. I was journaling in a handwritten journal along with personal prayers and such for quite a while – too – it is so cool to look back and see what God has done!!!
And hey – I’m impressed! You seem to be keeping up with me – like you said you would!!!
I also, hope through this – that others will be encouraged, inspired, and really just love sharing Jesus in any way that I can –