Stretching

Stretching

By Elisa Morgan

My phone rang and my screen revealed my brother’s caller ID. I swiftly answered, as I had been doing for nearly four years. Though he lived whole states away, I served as his chief caregiver when his liver failed and now, awaiting a transplant, every call could be THE call. His thin voice shared that a donor was on life support as family members wrestled with their devastating loss and made plans for a funeral. My brother would receive a new liver within the week.

He'd been called before. Maybe eight times? But each time he was the runner up or the liver wasn’t viable or for some other reason, he did not receive it. This was the real deal. He would be undergoing surgery in hours and I’d be on a plane. The caregiver’s role was to be present 24/7 for the first several months no matter what. While we’d assembled a team of helpers, as lead caregiver, it was my job to get to his side and oversee the care.

I flew. I drove. I care-gave. I oversaw others as they flew and drove and care-gave. In so many moments, I thought for sure I’d run out of me before my brother was able to recover his health.

You’re facing something … at work, in ministry, at home. Something unexpected. A challenge. A choice. A change. It feels beyond. Beyond your skillset. Beyond your energy. Beyond your brain, your patience and your bank account.

How to respond to a key staff person’s resignation?

How to speak to a church full of hungry congregants?

How to respond to a child’s revelation?

How to cope in the absence of a closest confidante?

In such seasons it’s like God says, “You’re here: A.” “I’d like you to move there: B.” “I’ll give you this: C to get there.” Except C doesn’t look like it will cover the distance between A and B. There’s not enough of me or you or both of us combined to stretch that far.

Here’s what I’m learning for me that will maybe help you. Whatever we’re facing isn’t a surprise to God. He knows all about it. He knows our coming and going and what we will say before a word is on our tongue. (Psalm 139:1-5)

Not only does God know about what we’re facing, he’s in it. He wants to use it for his purposes in us and through us in the lives of others. (Romans 8:28)

God knows what we’re facing. God is in what we’re facing. And guess what else?

God will provide a way through what we’re facing. Notice I didn’t say a way OUT. Sometimes he does that. But most of the time - because God’s desire is that we are formed more into who he’s always wanted us to be, doing what he’s always wanted us to do – God provides a way THROUGH. He changes us so that we can change our world. (James 1:2-4)

God says, “Move from A to B and use C to get there.” We look at A and we look at B and we see how far they are apart. We cock our head to measure the gulf between them and conclude – obviously – that it’s not enough. It won’t reach.

God knows what we’re facing. God is in what we’re facing. God will provide a way through what we’re facing. He will stretch C from A to B. But in order for him to do so, we just may need to put it back in his hands.

It’s been six months since my brother received his liver. He is functioning. He recently adopted a dog. He handles his own meds and daily schedule. I’m back and forth in my presence with him but I’ve noticed more than a little slack in my current C. Like well-used elastic, it reached from A to B and then some.

I have a feeling I’ll need that C again in the future. And once again, it will seem too short, too small, too this or that to stretch from whatever A and B I need it to bridge. But now I know that God can stretch it towards his purposes as I put it in his hands.

Elisa Morgan's latest book is Fruitful Living, which will be released in March 2025. She is the cohost of the podcast, God Hears Her. She is also the cohost of Discover the Word and contributor to Our Daily Bread. Her other books include Christmas Changes Everything, You are Not Alone, When We Pray Like Jesus, Hello, Beauty Full, and The Beauty of Broken. Connect with Elisa @elisamorganauthor on Facebook and Instagram.