Rick -
Such a Beautiful and Wonderful Post. Thank You:
Hi George,
I can identify with your situation as my son had this issues for so long a time and as much pain and sorrow it caused my wife and I know my son hurt the worst.
My wife passed away back in 2009 and she was so young at the time of her death as is my son so young too. I certainly hope God gives your family and you peace while undergoing these things.
I know what your going through, if my phone rang late at night I would cringed , I was reluctant to answe in fear of what I might hear form the other end. The police and courthouses the prisons and my greatest fear was his death.
My heart goes out to you George for I been living with this nightmare for over a decade , watching someone I love killing themselves slowly and knowing no matter what I say no matter how many times I pray no results seem to come from it at least not the results I wanted .
I know there is a reason why God puts these sort of things in our lives. Every heart ache we experience must somehow conform us into His image.
I did this thread because the focus must remain on God and His plan and how His truths can upholds us in our darkest hour. These foundational truths are so important to have when the storms of life beat against our house and it's so important to build on the right foundation but you know George only those who God drags to these truths are the only ones who.can build upon them.
I find myself clinging to God rather than running from God and I know God causes me to cling to Him which I am most thankful for.
I pray the outcome of your son is different than my sons outcome , may God give you the peace of knowing He controls all things and promises to make all things new even our hearts will be made new . God bless you my brother.
God bless.
Thank you for your thoughtful and wonderful words from your heart.
My wife, first lost her mother (aged 42), then her sister (aged 29), and more recently her brother (aged 51), and finally, her father (aged 90) - and she has had a very, very, tough life, full of pain and suffering.
My father went to sleep (aged 78), and my mother screamed out in the hospital "You cannot leave me, you promised me you would never leave me", and it took my mother well over two years to come to terms with my father no longer being with her.
We too, call this a living nightmare.Apart from Ray and you, I know of another person in the (traditional) church who was a minister (of the false traditional doctrines - although at the time, I knew it not) - and I often wondered, why Ray and he had their firstborn taken from them, and now you have had the same painful experience. I can only conclude, that perhaps, some of us, are to give up their firstborn, to show you the pain Jesus Christ's Heavenly Father felt, when He lost His firstborn son at the Cross.
And I know most of us are likely to think, 'hang on a minute, He is God Almighty, He can do anything, and He does not need to feel pain' - and my response is 'Yes, Our Heavenly Father is the source and power of All Things - yet He chose to Be a Father, and He taught men, how to be Fathers, and I do not know of any man (whether they be good or evil), that did not feel deep pain and long suffering when one of their sons (or daughters) died - and if this the case, Our Original Father has to feel pain (otherwise, He is No Father At All)'.
Perhaps, Our Heavenly Father's pain eased, when after Jesus' Death, Burial, Resurrection and Ascension back to His Father, Jesus became the firstborn of many sons and daughters - when perhaps, Our Father and our Eldest Brother Truly Rejoiced (and still Truly Rejoice) when one of Our Heavenly Father's lost children are dragged back to Him, and He and Jesus start to rescue Their Lost family members, one by one.
I know that Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, feel you and your family's pain, as they are within you all (in oneness).
I know that you know, that you have no choice, but to suffer through your pain for your tremendous loss.
I know that you know, that He Will Grace you and you family with all that you will need to get through this - but always remember that Jesus promised you that, and said that, 'I will always be with you to the end of the Age'.
His Peace, Joy and Love go with you in your time of "Jacob's Trouble" (King James Bible: Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it). And I am sorry to all on this forum, if I have misapplied this particular Scripture - as it seemed apt to me.
George