Called and Near

Called and Near

I called on your name, Lord from the depths of the pit.
You heard my plea: “Do not close your ear to my cry for relief.”
You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.”

Lamentations 3:55-57 (NIV)

Doctors did testing, tried various medications, and even performed a five-hour procedure, but nothing seemed to be working. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen this drug not work,” a doctor murmured to me during one hospital stay.

The weeks dragged on into months with no clear resolution. Uncertainty filled our family’s days and wore on our spirits. My son became discouraged and depressed. One night when I went into his room to pray together before bed, I found him sobbing. My heart broke as I struggled to know how to encourage him when the way forward wasn’t clear.

As a mother, my instinct was to make him better. At first, I prayed for healing. But over the weeks and months, my prayers began to change. I once heard a pastor say, “We get to know God best when we need him most.” I began to pray instead that through the confusion and uncertainty, my son would experience God in a fresh and profound way.

God, when we’re in seasons of waiting with no end in sight, when the uncertainty and confusion threaten to overwhelm us, help us remember that You are there with us every step of the way. Let us remember not to fear, God, for you are always there when we call on You.

Lamentations 3 talks about calling to God in our distress, pleading with him, and then experiencing his nearness. “You came near when I called on you,” it reads in verse 57, and I desired most for my son to feel that closeness.

My son started to read his Bible more, logging onto his Bible app every night. We kept praying, asking God to show us more of himself through this challenging time. And while doctors eventually found a medication that stabilized my son, the answer to prayer that is most significant throughout this experience was how my son came to feel the nearness of God when he called on Him. My son is healthy now, but more importantly, he knows the faithfulness of God in walking with him through a confusing and discouraging time.