For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. (Hebrews 6:10)
Sometimes the person responsible for taking care of a sick family member is what I refer to as a “nonprofessional caregiver.” They take care of a sick parent or other loved one without having any formal training as to how to lift them or watch for signs of dementia.
My mother had knee replacement surgery three years ago, and things have not been the same since then. When I realized that my mom could not fully take care of herself, it was a little unnerving. I always saw my mom as a strong person who took care of me, and suddenly I was in the position of taking care of her. I felt like I needed a lot of help, and it seemed like a burden that I had to bear. Only prayer could help me gain the strength to tell someone else what I was feeling.
One day, I was talking to a pastor friend about how hard it was to provide the best care for my mom, how physically weak and vulnerable she was. I will never forget his words to me: “You need to remember the strong woman she was before the illness.”
As I began to internalize this and visualize her the way she used to be, my heart filled with compassion. Instead of feeling like it was my duty to take care of her, I began to see what a privilege it was to do it as a labor of love. Thank God she is gaining new strength each day.
Part of a caregiver’s attitude has to be seen in the light of Matthew 25, where Jesus said, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” I believe that Jesus left the weak among us for a reason. We have a reason to pray for those who are weak among us.
Prayer Point: It is a joy to discover how to imitate Jesus in our everyday lives. Praying for strength to fulfill his will gives us moments of revelation that make our lives and purpose on earth more meaningful.
God bless you!
