He lost his wife in January after 32 years of marriage. He was at her side for all of those years as she battled an incurable and progressive lung disease. For the last three months of her life being at her side required him being in the hospital. It was a devastating loss.
While his grief remained, after several months had passed he decided to explore the dating world. He invited someone to his home to watch a movie and have dinner. He wondered how to act, how to behave, how a man his age should relate to a woman. He found encouragement in an unexpected place.
He had also been searching for a new doctor and had come across my name in the physician directory. While researching me and my practice he came across my blog. One of the recent posts was on the series I wrote about adultery based on the chapter from my book. He clicked on the link to my sermon on the topic and watched it online. The words I spoke reminded him of the standards of morality set forth in scripture and of God’s plan for intimacy.
A month later he came to my office for the first time and shared with me the impact that the blog and the sermon had on him. The words he spoke had a profound impact on me. When I uploaded the posts on adultery and the sermon I did so never knowing if they would ever be read or watched, if they would have any impact on anyone at all. It just seemed the right thing to do.
He reminded me of the truth that God is always working, even when we cannot see it. So often in life we can feel as if our best efforts result in nothing happening or nothing changing. It is easy to be discouraged and feel as if we have no value. He reminded me that it is God who makes things happen, that God can take our small acts of faithfulness and use them to accomplish his purposes. A kind word to a stranger, an encouragement in a Facebook post, or a brief prayer for someone in need can each make a difference in someone’s life. We may never see it, but it is happening every day.
- Bart
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