Surgery

Surgery is not fun. It is sometimes necessary, though. For me, there’s always a little fear involved, even though I’m trusting God to get me through it. Is that possible? To be fearful and confident at the same time?

My latest surgery was just a couple of weeks ago. After a painful attack of pain and cold sweats and feeling faint, I ended up in the hospital. Tests revealed a hiatal hernia and pictures showed that my stomach had moved up into my chest. What a shock! Everything had to be rearranged and fastened in place. Things went all right, but now I’m dealing with some after effects. It could take a couple of months to completely heal.

Maybe you have dealt with some surgery also. Sometimes something needs to be removed. Like my gall bladder, which came out a few years ago. And sometimes things need to be rearranged or reinforced. But we agree to go under the knife in order to have a better quality of life. Why would we live with a bad condition if it can be fixed?

There is such a thing as spiritual surgery. It’s no fun, either. But a necessary process. And when the surgeon is the Lord, we don’t need to fear the process or the outcome. There is a picture that Jesus painted of a vineyard. “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:1-2, NIV).

I used that idea in a song that I wrote. Here are some of the lyrics. “Welcome, Sweet Trial. Welcome to my life. I’ve thrown out the weapons that would shield me from your knife. So cut where it’s needful; pierce me, tho I bleed; then gently bind up the wounds, for you know my deepest need. ” (That’s from “Welcome, Sweet Trial” on a recording called “Serenity.”)

Does God need to do some pruning in your life? Is that a welcome process? Or are you fighting to avoid what God thinks is best for you? Refusing to submit to the Master Surgeon is not the wisest choice. Why not humbly admit that you need His expertise with the scalpel? Don’t you think that the outcome will be worth it?

Click the play button below to listen to “Welcome, Sweet Trial”