Can One find Hope?

My brother whom I’d call dad (he took care of me and mentored me to be the man I’m) has been down for over 5 months now. At first, the medical practitioners failed to find anything that they had suspected, but kept administering drugs. I’m really no medic, and whatever the qualified physicians say concerning human health, that I take.

In the fourth month, they found out the kidney wasn’t functioning to its best. I can’t tell if this might have been caused by some medicines he was given, or actually it was the issue the doctors couldn’t fathom at first. Worried of his situation, my brother had to make a statement that many thought of in different ways. “God is about to save me from this pain”, he said. Upon hearing this, some thought he was giving up his spirit, while others felt he was implying that he was positive that something has been identified finally. 

When I received this message, I was troubled. I knew I didn’t need to lose hope, but the big question remains: How can I not lose hope after hearing such about someone whom I nearly owe my whole life? I tried to pray, but words couldn’t come. This is quiet typical of me when faced with such cold news. Why didn’t God put words in my mouth that I could use at this time when I needed Him the most? Even this, I don’t know. Questions easily come, but answers slowly get uncovered.

I had to write to 5 of my friends. Three of whom, prayed with me that night, but only one was able to pray with me right on spot. Actually, when I wrote to him, he was already in his prayer room, I have no idea why he had to check his phone when he was praying, but I thank God he did.

 In the quietness of heart, I found comfort. When I couldn’t pray, God pointed me to someone who could lift my spirit. That same night, my brother had the strength to leave his bed in the middle of the night to go up to the washroom. Coincidence, isn’t it? A prayer was made, strength was released, and action is seen. If it’s a coincidence, it’s a good one.

I don’t think he did this by himself. Not a coincidence. Atleast not to me. For weeks he has not been able to even sit on his own, not to brush his own teeth, but this night, he moved to the washroom. This is astounding! “The feeble found strength through God”, is all I can say. 

A month later, he got admitted full time in the hospital. Third day, I went to check on him (It’s my routine, but this day was special), I chatted with him, did exercise with him, and made fun of each other. By the time I was about to leave, he asked me to help him lay down. “By the time you wake-up, I won’t be here”, I told him. Unbothered, he told me, “It’s alright, we’ll meet tomorrow”. I had no idea that I’d have the worst ever nightmare. 

When I reached home, I called Dad to give the report of my visit. He asked if by the time I left, the evening medication was already administered. I felt a bomb in my chest immediately. I asked why he’d ask that, he told me of a report that about 10 minutes after I left the hospital, he began behaving weirdly. When I called back to find out, all I was told, “wait, we’ll call you back”. My evening started growing cold in that moment. 

I waited! And waited! And waited! When I was called, my heart pumped, knowing what I’d hear wasn’t a good news. “Get up and pray, God might hear your prayers and save your brother’s life”, my sister told me. I was expecting a bad news anyways, but the way it came was so unexpected. I looked around and didn’t know what to say in my prayers, though I knew I should pray for my brother, that perhaps my prayers could be heard of God, and my brother’s life redeemed. 

I had to write to just one friend to help me pray for my brother. I know he prayed. I know I tried and said a few words too. Soon, my heart became strong. I knew my brother would be fine again. I called to  clear my doubt, and I was told he’s stabilizing. A coincidence again? If it is, I’ll say it again, it’s a good one.

Throughout this situation, I learned this:

God surely made us to be in a community of people. When one is down, the other can help. They help us ask God for the things we can’t by our own. They can remove the rooftop to lower us to Jesus, that we might be healed.
1. There’s no superman. No. Not in mortal man. The one who prays for others also can fail to pray for themselves. The fattest lie is that of “I can always pray”. Surely, sometimes it’s more relieving to just ask someone to pray with You. There’re times when one is denied the utterance of words, just because another has been given the utterance to petition God. 

2. God never ignores any of His beloved children. This is one reason why I was pointed to those who could pray with me, to boost my mind, and heart. I had a choice though, to choose between harkening to the invitation to ask for help, or to continue in my pride, to keep blaming God, or hating Him for the situation at hand, or just to force words into my prayer.

3. Hope is never dead, unless we give up. Those who trust God shall renew their strength for sure. The strength to trust is actually found in our trust itself. The strength to hope is found in our belief that there’s still a reason to try. But in all, the strength that man needs is found in the reason for man’s existence–God. 

Hope may seem dead and gone. Giving up may be an easy way to not think about something. Even so, there’s wisdom in focussing on God even when life seem crazy. There’s a restoration that a feeble man finds in focussing on God. There’s a peace that comes only by not turning against God. There’s a hope that can only be built by the truth that God drops into the heart of that devastated person. 

Don’t give up yet. Please don’t! Trust just one more time, and see. The one time might just be the shot you needed to get to your restoration. Do you feel devastated? Ask someone to help you pray, that you might stick your focus on God. God has not given up on you yet, don’t you dare give up on yourself, or on God.