What Shook Your Entire World to the Core?

Have you ever had something happen that shook your entire world to the core? Perhaps, you were in an accident, or a family member became sick and you knew things would never be the same. Or, like us, you lost someone close to you and there is no arguing about it…life is forever changed.

            Eighteen months ago, we unexpectedly lost my momma. She was 64 years old and was in the hospital for over a month with both no diagnosis and yet multiple diagnoses. In essence, mom was treated for  everything and nothing. She went through scan after scan, multiple lumbar punctures, and tests for both common and unusual disorders. Her medication regimen changed daily as one set of doctors thought of something else to try. As a nurse, it was extremely difficult to have no real diagnosis. As a daughter, it hurt to watch her suffer. We did all we could. We prayed continuously, cared for her, eagerly waited and watched for any and every sign that she may be improving. Yet, I couldn’t believe how quickly she was deteriorating. One Sunday morning, I was there and the doctor mentioned an endotracheal tube. (For the non-medical people, that meant they wanted to put her on a breathing machine.) She was breathing on her own, so I really didn’t see the need in putting her on the machine. I was so upset that this was happening and frustrated that she wasn’t improving for no clear reason.  The doctor saw, what the nurse in me knew. She was breathing so shallow and she wasn’t able to clear her own secretions. I asked her about the doctor’s suggestion. I thought she may not have heard or understood what he was saying. Through tears I said, “Mom, do you want them to put a breathing tube in.” She said, “I don’t know what else to do.” Her voice was so weak. I nodded and reminded her that we loved her. At this time, I had hope. Hope that God would heal her. Hope that resting on this machine would allow her to fight whatever was making her sick. Hope that she would once more say my name and that she loved me.

My hope did not fade as I know God is capable of healing and even raising people from the dead.

Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there. ³⁰ And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them. ³¹ So the crowd marveled as they saw the mute speaking, the crippled restored, and the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel (Matt. 15:29-31).

When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” ⁴⁴ The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” (John 11:43-44).

I can truly say, I had hope that she would be healed and whole. I was well aware that this miracle would glorify God and that He could do it at any time. But we didn’t receive a miracle, this time. I know mom is healed and in the presence of the Lord. I, like so many others, just wanted a little more time.

As I said, my world was shaken to the core and things will never be the same. Honestly, I don’t think they should be. When I lost my mom, I lost part of myself. It’s the part who has known me since the beginning of my life. Mom knew me through all of life’s stages and changes. She knew who I was and who I had become. She saw me fall and picked me up. In my struggle, she encouraged me to soar. So many pieces of who I am are tied to her. Without her, I struggle to see some of who I am. When we lose someone dear to us, we lose double.

There are a couple of things to consider, if you’re struggling with a big life event.

1. God is still working miracles.

You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples (Psalm 77:14).

We didn’t get our miracle, and that was disappointing. But, God is performing miracles. He is still the Waymaker, Miracle Worker, and Promise Keeper. If you’re in a season of needing a miracle, hold on to hope. God can do anything, so dare to pray boldly and without ceasing. Believe and know that He is still doing miracles and you can trust Him.  For nothing will be impossible with God (Luke 1:37).

2. Make the most of the time you have, wherever you are.

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away (James 4:14).

No one knows how long he or she has on this earth. Nor do we know how much time we will have with those we love. We don’t know how long we will be healthy enough to do what we enjoy and enjoy what we do. We don’t know how long we will be at our current job or current school. We can only guess about the time we have with our current besties. And even our current church may change. We don’t always recognize the change in the wind or a change in the Spirit’s leading, until we arrive someplace unexpected. We’re going along and we think we know the plan. But, we never realized we were stopping at this destination. And often, things seem to change suddenly. We must consider, our treasures. Who and what do we treasure?  We treasure Jesus and recognize that the things we do for the Lord impact the kingdom. Kingdom work is a priority, of course. We must share the gospel, and be a light in the world. God gives us the blessings of family and friends. We will never regret spending time with the people we love. Take time to enjoy your family and friends. Forgive those who have hurt you, and live life both righteously and to the fullest.

3. Life will not be the same.

Nothing is the same after a big life event. If there is a loss the grief is overwhelming and has a continuous impact on everything. If there has been a job loss, or severe illness the impact will ripple through each family member. The impact will affect the course of life and those affected will navigate to the best of their abilities. A major or chronic illness leads to grief over loss of health and abilities. Some enjoyed walking or running and are now suffer the inability to move from the bed.

When a loved one proceeds to eternity, many family members are lost. Some families may decide to add a special reminder into family gatherings. Some family members will share special memories of the loved one. The Christmas after mom passed, I gave each family member an “In memory of …” ornament. We were all grieving and the ornaments were just little reminders of her.)  

If you or someone you know is grieving, remember that time is needed. The grief will not go away, but will become a little more bearable over time. And it’s important to recognize that life will not be the same as it was before the major life event. However, in time, each of us will adapt to the change. It’s not easy to adapt when your world is shattered, but in time a few pieces will come back together.

What shook your entire world to the core and how did God comfort you? Please comment and share your story.

While life is not the same, God is unchanging and He is in control. For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed (Malachi 3:6). God loves you and He knows what you are going through. Let Him be your comfort in difficult times. He allowed His Son to come to earth and to go to the cross for us. He wants nothing more than a relationship with you.