Answers

By   •   December 1, 2017   •   Topics: ,

Q:

I've just been told by my doctor that I'm slowly going blind. I'm in my 80s and I've had a good life, but I can't face this. If we could sit down and talk, what would you tell me?


A:

The most important thing I would tell you is that this problem hasn’t taken God by surprise! He knows exactly what you’re facing, and He also knows how you feel about it.

And because He knows your situation—and most of all, because He loves you—He wants to help you and assure you of His presence. Old age always brings challenges; if it weren’t this problem, eventually it would be something else. But even as our strength weakens, our sense of God’s presence can grow. I often repeat God’s promise to Isaiah: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you” (Isaiah 46:4).

And our sense of God’s presence will grow, as we turn our hearts and minds away from our problems, and focus instead on Christ and His love for us. When something goes wrong, our natural tendency is to focus on it. We may even become angry or depressed because we can’t do everything we once did. But that is a dead-end road, and we need instead to focus on the things we can do. I can no longer preach like I once did—but I can pray, and I can say a word of encouragement or comfort to those around me.

Make sure of your commitment to Jesus Christ, and thank Him for His presence with you every day. Most of all, thank Him that someday soon all the burdens and disabilities of this life will be over, and you will be safely in God’s presence forever.

Lean on Christ to help you through life’s challenges.