All I Need

Once I had a patient who was nervously facing a risky surgery.

As they shared with me their struggle to come to grips with what was happening, they mentioned prayer and God. I told them that I had lived long enough to know life was not always fair and that we do not always know why something happens. I added that God promises strength only for today—not for tomorrow. The strength to face the surgery would come when the time came. Not before. What they needed to work on was today because that is when God had provided the needed strength. I shared that there had been times in my life when I had wondered how I would survive, but I found I was always given the strength.

Even though, looking back, I was not always sure how I survived it, and I wondered whether I could survive it again, I know that the God who gave me strength then can do so again, and that is all I really need to know. During my college career, I had to deal with both scholastic and personal challenges. What I told my patient, and what I tell others, is that even though God did not prevent the school, work, financial, and other challenges, He was with me through them. Though I did not provide care for this patient after our conversation, when I was back in the room helping the primary nurse, they thanked me for what I had said.

As I write this, our world is in chaos. Many times I have found myself drawing strength from the challenges I have faced in the past as a means of strength for today.

Today’s challenges can help provide strength for tomorrow. I think this old song had it right: “He’s still working on me to make me what I ought to be.”* God reminds us in His Word, “As your days, so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25, NKJV).

Jesus’ words to the disciples are still valid today: “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34, NKJV). “Do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given you in that hour what you should speak” (Matthew 10:19, NKJV).

He is all we need, and that is enough for today.

Melinda Ferguson

* Joel Hemphill, “He’s Still Working on Me,” 1980, Hemphill Music and Family and Friends Music.