Kyla Is Ready to Quit

Bible Reading: Colossians 1:9-14; Hebrews 12:1-2

Kyla sank down onto the bed, exhausted and upset. “I can’t do it.”

“Patience,” her mom said quietly. “You’ll get there eventually.”

Kyle shook her head. “I’m not going to,” she said, staring over at the door to her hospital room. “I’m not going to be able to walk, and then I’m not going to be able to leave here. I’ll be here forever.”

“You won’t be here forever.”

The next day, Kyla worked with a therapist again. This time, she walked even less than she had the day before and then was too tired to go on. Tears filled her eyes as she was helped back to her bed.

“Sweetheart…” Mom pulled her chair close to the bed. “You just need to be patient and keep trying.”

Kyla shook her head. “I prayed, Mom. I prayed that God would help me do it this time.”

“I’m sorry that things didn’t work out the way you wanted,” Mom said. “I prayed that you would stay safe, yet you’re in a hospital bed. I prayed that you would recover quickly, but things are going slowly.” She sighed. “I think God is using this situation to work on us. On both of us.”

Kyla frowned. “Why?”

“Maybe to teach us patience,” Mom said. “And to help us remember that Jesus is with us and is still at work even when bad things happen.” She reached over and ran her fingers through Kyla’s hair. “I remember when you were first learning to walk—my baby trying to grow up. You got so frustrated when you fell. And I got frustrated too. I wanted you to get better balance so I wouldn’t have to worry about you falling and hurting yourself. It took a lot of tries, but you got better, and I learned to be patient. Eventually, you got it figured out. I believe you’ll do the same this time around.”

“I wish I could just pray and then be done. Be out of here,” Kyla said.

“I know,” Mom said. “But healing takes time. I think we need to keep praying and trust Jesus to help us be patient. He endured death on a cross to give us eternal life, and He’ll help us endure every trial we go through.”

–Emily Acker

How About You?

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like God was trying to teach you patience? It can be hard to endure difficult things that happen in life, but Jesus promises to help us. He is always at work, even when things aren’t going well, and He can use those situations to do good things. Trust Him to be with you in the trials you face in life and to endure them with patience.

Today’s Key Verse:
Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. (NIV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Endure trials with patience