Last week, my wife and I had to take our 3.5 year old to have major surgery which required a 3 day hospital stay and much heart searching about our trust in God and how much we were holding on to our kids. In much of the care and counsel we received from older and wiser parents around us, they said this is one of the major tasks of biblical parenting…learning that your kids are God’s, not your’s.
I then heard about John Piper’s son experiencing the grief of his daughter dying last Saturday. A close friend of mine is close friends to the Piper family and I once again had to evaluate…how would I respond if God chose to take my child?
I’m reading Suffering and the Sovereignty of God right now and it is ironically (or rather in God’s providence) edited by John Piper. I heard C.J. Mahaney say that the chapter by David Powlison is the best single chapter he has ever read on suffering. So far, I concur.
The recent events have shaped me. They have made me more grateful for each day I have with my girls (my bride and two daughters) as well as how undeserving I am to have the life I’ve been given. God is very kind to me even in the midst of surgeries and not having all of the “why” questions answered. I know I can trust Him, for I only deserve the eternal punishment of hell, yet through the cross of Jesus Christ my sin is place on Him and His righteousness is given to me. This is sobering, astounding, and simply profound. I understand why God is so gracious, but I am thankful for it.
By the way, my daughter is doing well recovering.
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