MINISTER GRACE TO THE HEARERS

Every Spring for the past six years my husband has gone through medical procedures to help with cancer pain. Thankfully, this year he doesn't need it. Each time he was hospitalized for 3 days and went through immense suffering. During his hospital stay, his health care was lacking in compassion and kindness. I understand the stress nurses are under having been one myself for years now.

Each time we entered the hospital we would pray for the doctor and the nurses who would be giving the care to him. It was always a struggle to get the care he needed. The last time he went in for a procedure, the Holy Spirit prompted me to take a small, dry erase board and write a message to the nurses. It read something like this: "Thank you for the care you are giving to my husband during the most difficult time of his life. We prayed for you before we came. You are ministers of God to us."

Every person that came into his room showed kindness and compassion. They responded promptly and with great care to his needs. I sat back in amazement knowing they had received the grace they needed to do their job with compassion.

Words of encouragement can carry us through the most difficult days. Hearing that we are loved or appreciated for what we are doing is worth more than any amount of money. One of the nurses on the night shift came in and asked if she could pray for my husband. This was a first for us. When she prayed, she prayed loudly and unashamedly that God would bring healing and a good nights rest. She also prayed for me to have strength. She ministered grace to us in her prayer.

Don't withhold grace to others when your opportunities come. Words are powerful and can bring down blessings or burdens to those in our path on this earthly journey. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." (EPH 4:29).