Answering Prayers In Futile Situations
by Dan Jones, M.D.
Isaiah 4-:30-31
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Dealing with a medically hopeless situation is difficult for any health professional. We must deal with the frustrations of the patient and their family. And we must deal with our own emotions as we struggle to keep the necessary professional objectivity.
Over the years I have made a habit of praying for my patients. Understanding how to pray in these apparently hopeless situations is always a struggle. We must believe God can intervene as noted in the first of this series. God does intervene directly and heal unexpectedly. But we all recognize this is most often not the case.
More often God answers these prayers for futile situations not with direct intervention, but with interaction. Often, as we pray about a particular matter, God uses us to be a part of His answer. In fact, I believe He wants us to be involved.
The story of the Apostle Paul and the shipwreck illustrates the point. Paul was a prisoner on a ship overtaken by a storm. It appeared all on board would perish. While praying about this hopeless situation, God promised Paul not one person would die. All would be safe. Immediately on receiving this promise from God, Paul gathered the people on the boat. After praying with them and telling them of God's promise of safety, he instructed everyone to eat something, as they would need their strength to swim to shore. Though Paul had been promised safety for all by God, he recognized God would expect the people on the boat to participate in the miracle.
As we pray to God for our patients, we can be confident that many of our prayers of concern will be answered by God through the skills he has given us, through the interaction of our lives in the lives of our patients. If we pray for His strength, in these situations He will allow us to run and not grow weary.
Thank you, Lord, for allowing me to be a part of your answer to prayer. Reinforce my faith in you in what you can do through my life and profession.
Dan Jones, M.D., MACP, FAHA, a board-certified Internist, a former medical missionary to Korea, professor of medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, Dean of the School of Medicine, and Chancellor of the University of Mississippi until 2015. Dr. Dan Jones is a member of CMDA.
Dr. Jones welcomes any comments or questions about what he has written and can be reached at - djones@umc.edu
Rounds with the Master, Spiritual Pearls from the Great Physician Devotionals are released every Monday and Thursday.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
