This week I wanted to share an experience I had with a patient on Saturday. She was very “experienced”, as I like to say about people that are older. She was 97 so had almost 3 times much life experience and wisdom as I had. We chatted about PT related items then I was thinking I’d give her a tract or offer a prayer for her; more on that later. I decided to giver her a tract and in handed it over, she thanked me and said she found it very useful. She then shared two things that I myself found insightful and I hope you do as well.
She explained that the verse made sense, which was from Psalms, and it aligned with her daily intention which she shared with me. She explained that in waking up, she desired to run the race and believed it applied to her, her husband and anyone really. I asked if she was referencing the advice from St. Paul and she agreed. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” (1 Cor 9:24) Later, she gave another piece of advice although I think it was merely to be informative rather than a recommendation. She said that she was in her second marriage and after 50 years she believed much of their success as a couple was to read something from Psalms or Proverbs, together. “Every morning, before you get your day started and it gets away from you, each of us will read a Psalm or something from Proverbs. He will read one day and I read the next. And then you just carry that with your through your day.” I found this very sound I shared it with my wife, who agreed.
In returning to something from earlier in this post, I wanted to be vulnerable and say I’ve never been comfortable sharing my faith, especially with strangers. I don’t know why. Maybe some of it is me being afraid I’m infringing on their beliefs or telling them they should believe in God, which I do believe but I also want to respect their choices. I never want to come across as a Bible thumping Christian who is pushy and aggressive. So I think I just avoid the whole arrangement by saying nothing. More recently, I’ve felt guilty, as I am somehow ashamed of God and my relationship with Him. But it’s not so much that as it’s just fear. Maybe fear of judgement from others (although in all the times I’ve shared I’ve never been condemned by someone) or fear of disagreement. In any case, during that same time I’ve also gotten more courageous, asking patients if they would like to pray with me or if I can pray over them. Most agree and are deeply appreciative of it. I also have these cards of tracts that I will try to give out but I also forget. I say if they can’t use it see if they can find someone that can. Again, they have usually been accepting of my offer.
So in closing, I want to share that I am still working and often failing in my role as a believer to evangelize. I am improving in my courage and am finding different ways to share the Good News. It’s been successful more than not and so I offer to you to try the same. Even if it’s with family or a partner, as my patient shared. I think it’s no joke that “the family that prays together stays together” and that goes for any relationship.
Leave a Reply