On the day after my surgery the nurse came in with a very friendly smile and greeting. She was a petite blonde that looked like she couldn’t even lift fifty pounds. Her voice was soft and friendly, her demeanor was peaceful; little did I know that she was all business and nothing would stop her from doing her business. “Good Morning, Sweetie, are you ready to go for your walk?” I think she called me Sweetie just so I wouldn’t react the way I wanted to react. “What? Are you crazy? Are you out of your mind? I’m not going anywhere. I cannot move without pain, I cannot sit here without pain. I am having trouble keeping my eyes open, I just want to sit here until I fall asleep again. Go away and leave me alone! And I’m not your Sweetie!” Of course this is not how I responded but just the opposite. “You’re the boss!” I said. (Something that she already knew.) And so, that first day after my surgery I set out of my hospital room with my “luggage” (something that we’ll discuss at another time) my nurse and the nurse’s aid. We probably went about fifteen to twenty feet from the door before we all realized that it was best for me to turn around and go lay back down. I thought I was going to die, I wanted to die. I thought, “If that nurse ever comes near me again, I’m going to ask Jesus to just take me home.”
Today, (two and half weeks after my surgery), I am walking like nobody’s business. Six to seven times a day I walk the length of my driveway –three times, which I figure is close to 1,200 feet @ 7 times –is about 8,400 feet a day! That may not sound like a big deal, but believe me, I happy with my progress. Now here is the lesson: I wouldn’t be walking like I am today if it wasn’t for that little nurse. I needed her; I needed her knowledge, her wisdom and her strength. She knew what I needed to do even though I didn’t want any part of it. I was content to just melt away in that hospital room. I hurt and I didn’t want to hurt and in my eyes, walking meant hurting. She knew better. She knew that walking would be hard at first, but she would be right there to help me and give me instruction. She would motivate me when I just wasn’t interested at all. The Apostle Paul commands us in Galatians 5:16 to “Walk” in the Spirit kjv Our “walk” is our life and therefore, Paul is telling us to live in the Spirit. This would be impossible to do if God did not send His Spirit like that hospital sent that nurse. The Spirit of Christ teaches us, motivates us and gives us the ability to live this Christian walk. We cannot do it without Him; all other efforts will fail and leave us miserably wasting away, knowing all the time we could be better. You may be a seasoned Christian right now who has gone through some tragic spiritual surgery and you’re afraid to step out and “walk” again. God may have had to bring you under the knife, but beloved, He’ll never leave you and He’ll never forsake you. Trust in His love for you, trust in His strength and wisdom, trust that He will lead and guide you in every step that you take for Him, and soon you will look back and see the progress that you have made. And He will cause you to rejoice!