Seeing is Believing?

We went back to the eye doctor yesterday. Heather and I were optimistic. Eli had been responding really well to the patches. He’d even been tolerating his eyedrops. (In the sense that he’d cry, squirm, and scream, “No daddy! No!”) So we were hopeful.

Sadly, we were also delusional.

While we really believed Eli’s eye was getting better, it turns out that it was absolutely no different than it was 5 weeks ago when we first saw the ophthalmologist.  

That means Eli will need surgery. This will be his 5th surgery in 21 months. While we’ve been through this before it doesn’t feel better. Or easier. Or less scary. 

Eli has learned to be terrified of doctor's visits...

In fact this surgery caught us off guard. We really believed Eli would be in that 80% group that doesn’t require surgery. We should have known better. It’s hard not to sound pessimistic, but Eli always seems to find a way to be difficult when it comes to his medical conditions. (Although he’s a complete champ when it comes to recovering!) 

Each day I try to read my Bible. Yesterday was no different. And as coincidence would have it, I was starting the Book of Job. (Job is a story about someone who loses everything, and learns through suffering that God is still trustworthy.) As I read the first chapter, I saw something I had never noticed before. After Job loses all he owns, all his wealth, and all of his children, Job’s first act is one of grief (he tears his clothes). OK, I get that. You lose everything and you mourn. But what’s unexpected is what he does next. He worships God. 

That’s right. Worship. 

I read that line and thought, “Could I worship God immediately after hearing devastating news? Is my trust in God, that strong?” 

I guess now we have a chance to find out.