J
jc4751
Guest
I wanted to share a brief story with all of you, of two young married people who have given a very powerful testimony by their actions when tragedy was delivered unto them. The mother was pregnant and suffering a very difficult pregnancy (she did not stop being sick throughout the course of it). Once the child was born, it was immediately diagnosed as having a relatively rare genetic disorder which normally would cause the pregnancy to be naturally terminated, or the newborn to pass away within a week or so of birth, a rare few living a year or longer. Needless to say, this was awful news to the new parents and to the family, and was not related to anything that they had done (not a lifestyle issue).
However, instead of focusing on the tragedy, they instead came together as a family and were determined to spend as much time with their newborn as possible before it passed away, being made more aware of just how fleeting and precious life can be than most of us will ever now. The baby then began to have trouble feeding, so the doctors advised that a feeding tube was necessary for it to survive any longer. They went ahead with this, even in spite of many people around them not thinking it was a good idea, that there was not point in prolonging the inevitable. Sadly, the baby passed away not long after this. Though very sad, the parents both made such very profound statements of faith about the situation that I really can only think that they were filled with/inspired by the Holy Spirit to do so.
We sometimes wonder why things like this happen, that we see as tragic. We hear the answers of “Sometimes, things are a mystery and we don’t know why they happen.” Or, I have heard “People are brought to God through tragedy.” I think both of these miss the mark – we are brought to God, or strengthened in our faith, when we see people who embrace their own faith and understanding of it without reservation, who know that life is a precious gift, no matter how long it lasts, and that we are still blessed even in what so many people would see as a tragedy. I can’t help but think that somewhere, even in what is terrible, that there will be someone who sees this and lets their heart be changed for the better by it. I know in my own faith, it has been a jolt from my own complacency and a reminder of things we sometimes forget.
However, instead of focusing on the tragedy, they instead came together as a family and were determined to spend as much time with their newborn as possible before it passed away, being made more aware of just how fleeting and precious life can be than most of us will ever now. The baby then began to have trouble feeding, so the doctors advised that a feeding tube was necessary for it to survive any longer. They went ahead with this, even in spite of many people around them not thinking it was a good idea, that there was not point in prolonging the inevitable. Sadly, the baby passed away not long after this. Though very sad, the parents both made such very profound statements of faith about the situation that I really can only think that they were filled with/inspired by the Holy Spirit to do so.
We sometimes wonder why things like this happen, that we see as tragic. We hear the answers of “Sometimes, things are a mystery and we don’t know why they happen.” Or, I have heard “People are brought to God through tragedy.” I think both of these miss the mark – we are brought to God, or strengthened in our faith, when we see people who embrace their own faith and understanding of it without reservation, who know that life is a precious gift, no matter how long it lasts, and that we are still blessed even in what so many people would see as a tragedy. I can’t help but think that somewhere, even in what is terrible, that there will be someone who sees this and lets their heart be changed for the better by it. I know in my own faith, it has been a jolt from my own complacency and a reminder of things we sometimes forget.