Developing trust in the midst of health trials

I got a Facebook message from Erin (not her real name), a friend I knew from my days spent in Chapel Hill, N.C. She still lives on the East Coast, is a school teacher and a gifted painter. She asked if I would call her.

When we eventually connected, I found out she was having brain surgery in less than a week due to recurring seizures, among other medical complications.

“Cynthia, I’m scared,” she told me. Her surgeon had shared with her the percentages and odds of this surgery.

“Do you trust this surgeon?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Is he the best?”

“Yes.”

“Will anyone be there with you?”

“My parents.”

“Can you get a blessing from your church?”

“Yes, I will be getting one.”

“Then pray for your surgeon, pray for the outcome that you want and focus on that. Then, put the rest in God’s hands. Let him drive this car.”

After we talked some more I added, “You going through this surgery is a compliment from God. He won’t put you through anything that you can’t handle. And, he’s modeling and shaping you to become more like him.”

I proceeded to tell her about my recently being selected to speak on Capitol Hill and how that may have never happened had I not had cancer.

“Many blessings come from trials. Sometimes even years down-the-road,” I said.

“God is all-knowing and all-powerful, Erin. He’s got a plan for you. You’ve got to believe and trust in him even though you are scared; this is where you exercise your faith.”

Noble Peace Prize Winner Mother Teresa said, “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish he didn’t trust me so much.”

With all due respect, I disagree with Mother Teresa. I want God to trust me so much. I want him to bring my way the good, the bad and even the ugly (the latter being trials, essentially) if that will help me become more like him, help him utilize me to my full potential and help others, too.

And so it is with you also. Let God bring your way the good, the bad and the ugly. Pray for trials. I’m not quite there yet (praying for trials), but when I talk to God I do say, “Whatever be thy will.”

If you have a rock-solid foundation, you will be immovable. If you don’t, build one. Then trust God to create his masterpiece on your canvas even through a brain surgery or a cancer.

Cynthia Kimball is a professional speaker, trainer and doctoral student in workforce education leadership. Her column, "Every1Counts," appears in Deseret News and on our website weekly. She can be reached at kimball@every1counts.net.