A Life Well Lived

On Tuesday afternoon, I received the news that Myrtle Simmons had passed away.  It was bittersweet news because even though she is with the Lord and no longer in pain, she will be missed.  Parkinson's robbed Myrtle of the ability to be involved in church for the past few years.  This disease took away her physical ability to care for herself in the way she wanted.  She was bed-ridden without the ability to move much of her body.  She was often tired and had very little strength with almost constant pain.  BUT in the midst of that, she never lost her Faith.  She prayed for her family, friends and church family, even when she was in pain.  She never gave up on God, but continued to try to witness for Him through this difficult period.  I wonder how many of us face much less pressure and pain, but are overwhelmed by our circumstances?  She was a testimony to perseverance and determination.  She would much rather have been with the Lord than wracked by Parkinson's, but as lost as she were alive, she praised the Lord.  I found her Faith so refreshing and encouraging, even as my heart was broken to see her in the condition in which she was in.

We often forget when someone has suffered as Myrtle did later in life that this person wasn't always this way.  She was young, vibrant, energetic and able to run circles around others.  She would tell me stories of growing up in Jamaica in deep poverty and yet still sharing with others.  As a girl, she would often look out for other children younger than her and share what little she had with them.  Just a few years ago, she was busy caring for her husband and then dealing with the grief of his death.  In all of this, Myrtle had Faith in Christ.  Faith isn't something that is miraculously bestowed on us in moments of deep hardship.  No, it is developed over the years as we struggle to trust God during trying times.  We go to the gym to work out our bodies and keep them strong.  The gym of Faith is trials, difficulties or overwhelming obstacles.  As we trust God in these, they build Faith muscles which will reveal themselves when needed the most.  A life well lived is a life which honors Jesus, even in the most trying of times.

I loved to hear Myrtle's Jamaican accent, although I admit that this same accent made it hard for me to understand Myrtle.  As Parkinson's began to take a toll on her, it was even more difficult for me to understand her words.  The one thing I could always understand was her love for Jesus.  She continued to radiate Jesus through her eyes, even when her body refused to let her reflect Him.  In these darkest moments for her, the core of her being was about Jesus.  That is something we can't fake:  either Jesus is our reality or He isn't.  When the pressure comes, our heart will be revealed.

We will have the opportunity to remember and celebrate the wonderful life on Myrtle on Tuesday, February 21st at 8:45 AM.  Yet I would encourage each of you to examine your life to see if it is being lived for Jesus.  Is He the core of your being?  Is He what you desire most of all?  Is He the one you turn to when life provides a few bumps and tensions to build faith muscles?  May you be refreshed and energized to grow in your Faith today.