Encouragement
In God We Trust…Or Not?
© 2008
by
Stephen A. Peterson
After three days of what seemed like never ending tests, Sergeant Brett Mann was finally diagnosed, and now being wheeled into the operating room for surgery to remove his kidney stones. Even though Sergeant Mann had received a sedative to help him relax, he was very angry and agitated.
Though he tried his best to hide his anger, it showed because a nurse, Lieutenant Frances Santos came over, took his hand, and calmly said, “Good morning, Sergeant Mann, I’m Lieutenant Santos. You’re a little nervous, aren’t you?”
Sergeant Mann smiled weakly. “I’m more than a little nervous. I’m terrified. I’ve been through quite a few fights here in Iraq and that never scared me as much as this. I hate hospitals. They scare me to death! I don’t know why. They just do,” he told her.
Still clasping Sergeant Mann’s hand, Lieutenant Santos said, “Well, Sergeant, just relax! There’s no need to be nervous. Dr. Ellis is an outstanding surgeon. He is one of the best anywhere in the United States. In just a few minutes, he’ll make you better than new.”
“Well, I don’t know,” he said with a weak smile on his face.
Then Lieutenant Santos said, “You know Sergeant there are two ways to approach an operation. You can worry yourself half to death, or you can trust us. Like I said before, this surgical team here on the ground in Iraq is one of the best in the entire military or anywhere else in the United States. Really, you have nothing and I mean nothing to fear.” Then she winked, gave Sergeant Mann a firm squeeze and said in a low tone of voice, “Especially since I’ll be in the operating room with you making sure they do everything to standard. Nothing will get by me.”
With those words, Sergeant Mann was finally able to relax.
Just as nurse Lieutenant Santos had said, everything went well. What Sergeant Mann remembered most about his entire hospital experience was nurse Santos’ message. That is, he could approach life two ways—He could worry himself to death or he could trust. Though he accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, Sergeant Mann, much of his life before his surgery had a difficult time trusting—even Christ Himself. After a great deal thought and prayer, Sergeant Mann arrived at the conclusion that he needed to put his trust in God. “What’s point of calling myself a Christian if I don’t or can’t put my trust in Jesus who is God?”
What about you? In whom do you trust?
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