God's Timing

      It’s been a few months since I’ve written in my blog.  The reason for the delay was that I had triple bypass surgery at the end of March.  In January a simple walk up a slight incline didn’t go well.  That led to some heart testing, a heart catheterization, and then triple bypass heart surgery.  The surgery went well and within 24 hours, I was out of cardiovascular ICU, I was walking the hallways in the cardiac step down unit with ease, and surpassing everyone’s expectations for me in my recovery.  I was told initially that I would be out of the hospital about 6 days after the surgery and I thought I was well on my way to breaking that timeline.

Then, as I like to say, “The Wheels Came Off.”  I developed AFIB which is an irregular heartbeat where the heart races and flutters.  After it finally cleared up, I got a second bout of AFIB.  My hospital stay after the surgery lasted about 7 days, a few days longer than I planned.  During my early time in the hospital, I was eager to be discharged.  I was working hard to get out, but that didn’t happen.  When I was finally discharged, I was OK with staying in the hospital longer.  Whatever God wanted for me was now OK with me.  So what changed?  During the journey I learned:

1)    My timing was not necessarily God’s timing.  Initially, I was a little impatient.  But

God wanted me to wait on His timing.  Sometimes we get impatient in life.  We want God to do things right away or at least when we think they should be done.  But God’s timing is always perfect.  Isaiah 40: 31 But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  Don’t stress over when God will do things, just realize His timing is always the best.

2)    My ways, as noble as they were, were not necessarily God’s ways.  I was eager to get out of the hospital and to get back to ministry.  Yet God was showing there were people in the hospital that I needed to care for and extend God’s love too.  When I got out of the hospital, I was already to preach just a couple of weeks after the surgery.  My wife, and some of my doctors thought that was premature and they were right.  I waited an extra couple of weeks to share the message God had given me and I realized I didn’t have the stamina to deliver the message any earlier.  God’s ways were far beyond my ideas and plans.  Isaiah 55: 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.  9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  So, commit your ways to the Lord and He will direct your path.

3)     God still heals.  Yes, sometimes he uses doctors and other medical people in our

journey.  God directed my path to give me an excellent cardiac surgeon.  I didn’t select him, God selected this fine Christian doctor for me.  And my recovery has been excellent. Many have been amazed at my recovery.  God has been with me through this journey even on the more challenging days.  Just know, if you need a healing touch from God, He will be there for you. God does love you!

In Deepest Christian Love,

Pastor Steve VanAmburg