Care-giving and God's Word

There are so many negative emotions which can accompany care-giving. These emotions often are intense. In many situations, care-giving involves seeing the one that you love deteriorate step by step before your very eyes. As a caregiver for my husband battling with a serious neurological disease, I too experienced many of these emotions. On December 23, 2008, I wrote the following comments:

“Lord, help me in my struggle to remain humble, patient, kind, and unselfish in my dealings with my husband. Help me concentrate on the blessings I (we) still have and not on the way things used to be. Help me to not be angry, but joyful. Fill me with Your wisdom and lack of fear about the future. Sometimes it is tempting to feel all alone in this, Lord. I know that isn’t true. Many people care, but they do not fully understand. Why do the prayers and concern always seem to be about the one sick and not the caregiver? Yet I know many people are praying, Lord. Most of all, I know You understand, Lord. Thank you that You are in control. I wish I could cry more, Lord; but You understand when my heart is weary and sad. I praise You for the hope I have in You, Lord.”

Fear, discouragement, impatience, grief, and feelings of being overwhelmed are all emotions which can accompany care-giving. One of the things I learned through my years of care-giving is that I could not do it myself. I had to lean heavily on God’s promises in His Word, the Bible. I needed to dig deeply into God’s Word. I needed to do whatever it took to get God’s Word into my heart and into my mind. God had an answer for every negative emotion and challenging care-giving situation that I faced as my husband’s caregiver. I still need to remember that as I mourn his death.

Care-giving is so busy and time consuming. Take time in God's Word each day, however, dear caregiver. It is so important to your well being, both emotionally and spiritually.





(This post today is a re post of one of my first posts at this blog site. It also appears in my new book DEAR CAREGIVER subtitled Reflections for Family Caregivers. You can obtain a copy of my book by clicking on the link to my publishing company below the picture of my book on the right hand side of this page. It is also available at Amazon at:

http://www.amazon.com/DEAR-CAREGIVER-Sharon-Vander-Waal/dp/1629524263/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400183870&sr=1-1&keywords=DEAR+CAREGIVER

and at Barnes and Noble online.)