Stay With It

Something incredible happened last week and right away it made me think of God’s faithfulness. One morning I woke up and was playing with my wedding band. It surprised me that it came off so easily. You see, since transplant I have had some form of swelling in my arms, legs, and fingers. I even had my ring sized up two different times. It is just a form of the graft vs. host disease (GVHD) that is often common from bone marrow transplant. My doctor always told me that it would eventually burn its way out. It could take months or years. “Just stick with it, he would say.” In my case it has been over two years. But when I saw my ring slip off so easily, I also noticed that all of my other swelling was literally gone. I could bend my legs to a fuller range, my fingers were not puffy, and my watch fit like it used to. Just like that, the effects of GVHD were gone. It was a long wait. I couldn’t will it to happen. I had to be patient. But I did trust my doctor’s word that it would eventually go away and I focused on that.

I wondered if the bible had anything to say about “staying with it” and the transformation we can count on if we are disciplined followers of Jesus Christ. James 1:12 was the first verse I came to. I love how The Good News version puts it.

Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing such a test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him.

It is important to remain faithful, even when we may not be seeing the dramatic results we want, and the timing that we want. Two years was a long time. But there was nothing I could do to accelerate the process. I just had to stay with it. I was confident that the change, the transformation, would eventually happen. Philippians 1:6 reminds us of that.

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Jesus wants to complete through us and in us what he started. So, don’t be discouraged if you have endured something for years. Keep your focus on what Jesus has said he will do. And stay with it.

Amazed by His Love,

Terence