Heart Issues - Do You Know What You're Doing?

The days that followed my dad's knee replacement surgery were interesting, to say the least. In addition to being 91 years old, my father is extremely sensitive to any kind of pain medicine. Although we had repeatedly warned the nursing staff of this fact, they insisted he needed it and continued to give him regular doses. The result was - for almost two weeks my dad didn't know what he was doing!! The more medicine they gave him, the more confused he got. And the more confused he got, the more medicine they gave him to try to keep him calm.

It wasn't that he didn't recognize me, but we did “enjoy” one whole evening where he was convinced he was back in his wood-working shop at home. He literally spent 4 hours pulling nails from lumber, giving them to me to throw away. As silly as that sounds, I must admit it was better than the times when I had to literally hold his arms down so he wouldn't tear his IV and staples out.

One evening he was particularly agitated and I found myself becoming impatient with him. I was not only concerned that the surgery may have “put him over the edge” for good and that he might actually do harm to the newly-replaced knee, but I was getting physically tired and wanted nothing more than to go back to my motel room, crawl into bed and cry. I'm not pleased to share that, for the first time in my life, I actually raised my voice to my father.

No sooner had the scolding words come out of my mouth when in my mind I saw Jesus, hanging on the cross, beaten, mutilated, dying – yet still praying, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” I bowed my head and prayed, “Jesus, forgive ME. My father doesn't know what he is doing.” In my selfish physical and mental struggle, I had forgotten that this uncharacteristic behavior was not him, but the medication.

In Romans 12:2, we are cautioned to “be not conformed to the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.” In the original language, the word conformed means to be imprisoned, to be squeezed from the outside. In other words, we should not let the world and the things of the world imprison us. Like the pain medication they were giving Dad, the world's “medicine” will only confuse you, and make you dull to your surroundings. It promises to alleviate our pains, but we are only wasting precious time (like taking nails out of imaginary planks) and we end up hurting ourselves (like tearing out IVs and staples!). We have been created in the image and likeness of God. When we allow our thoughts and actions to be dictated by the world's standards, we are acting out of character. We don't know what we are doing!

Instead, we are instructed to be transformed (changed) by the renewing of our minds. How? First and foremost – get in the Word and stay in the Word! It's the only way to know who God is, who we are in Him, and what He desires for us and our lives. (Did you notice that the Scripture says, “...by the renewing of our minds”? The “-ing” on the end is telling us that it is a continual process. Hit and miss times with God aren't enough to keep us from being squeezed by things from the outside.)

Remember that TV commercial where someone breaks an egg into a hot, sizzling skillet and the announcer says, “This is your brain on drugs.” Well, don't let the pressures and temptations of the world “fry” your life and the destiny God has for you. Get off the world's prescription plan, get in the Word and allow Him to take the pain and heal you!!

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