HINDERANCE

I Thess. 2:18, “Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?”

I have been used to hearing that it is just another symptom of your fibro. Sending my new MRI reports to some doctors in the U.S. was really not that big of a deal. Just wanted to make sure that they agreed with the doctors here, that it was just old lesions they found and should be no worry.

Waking up, I took my time to get to the computer to check my email prior to leaving for work. Thinking the typical speed of most hospitals in the U.S. with results, I would not have a response for two weeks or so. Not so this time, as a close friend helped my readings to be seen quicker.

Sitting down with my coffee in hand and signing in to my email account, I figured there would be nothing but the usual work emails and requests. There before my eyes was a response already from the doctor in charge. The doctor had two independent doctors look at my MRI. A radiologist and a neurologist, and they came to the same conclusion. The next statement at the bottom of the paragraph was not what I was expecting, “Each independently said that the findings are more suggestive to them of multiple sclerosis.”

Talk about shock. I think I read that same statement probably four times before moving on to why they made their conclusions. Then they gave one more potential, which is Central Nervous System Lyme Disease, which is in the later stages. Neither one was very exciting to me, nor my wife. Over the day we talked about it, then cried together and started processing. We contacted family and some close friends to start discussing what the next step should be, and all came to the same conclusion (including the Neurologist), that we should come home and get the best care possible.

Erin and I prayed about it and wanted to wait for some blood tests to confirm what we already knew we needed to do. My blood tests came back abnormal in three different areas, which made us conclude that we needed to come home. Everyone in India was also in agreement of what we needed to do.

The problem is why? Why now? Why are we being hindered? All these questions hit you. We have given our time to do the work of God here in India and are being productive for the cause of Christ, so why are we being HINDERED?

Sometimes there is no answer, but only trust, and hope, knowing that God the Father is in control and will even use this hindrance to His ultimate glory. Maybe one day we will see why, just as we have seen so much of what He has done through us while we are here. But all one can answer is the following statement later in the same book. . . .

I Thess. 5:16-18, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”