My Broken Furnace Taught Me To Let Go

Have to tattle on myself! Last night I was calm when the furnace died on a cold, cold night. There was a split second or so with the "what???", but then I knew God would take care of it.

Well, our friend Bill and his wife, Lisa, showed up to help. He showed Rick what to do to keep it going through the night. Things were looking up. Only a solenoid needs to be replaced. Yay!

After they left, Rick started feeling pretty sick. Very sick! Things went from okay to UGH fast, and my brain lost control. He showed me how to keep the furnace running and went to bed. He needed to! I felt abandoned! I felt alone and angry. I even said out loud, "Why do You keep allowing this kind of stuff? Haven't we been through enough? Rick's illnesses, my illnesses, other appliances & cars breaking down, hassles with insurance companies and doctors over and over, isn't that enough?" I stormed around the house trying to do some things without waking up Rick and I banged on the furnace where I was supposed to when it tried to start.

Then I fell apart. I sat at my desk and grumbled and started crying. All I could say is, "I can't do this anymore! I just can't!!!"

I heard a small voice say, "I know, but I can!

Stopped in my tracks, I realized how I had been trying to control what I had no business controlling. I wanted things to go the way I wanted them to and this was not it. It was like a fog had been lifted off of me.

I let go! All I could do was cry and cry out to Him!

The house was getting a little cold and I heard the furnace trying to work. I reluctantly went to it and waited to do what I was gonna maybe have to do all night long to keep the house warm. I waited to see the glowing orange light. I waited to hear the click I was supposed to hear. I waited thinking I would have to bang it soon. It was then that the furnace started working on it's own again. No banging. No trying to get it going. And it's been working on it's own all night long since then.

God will use all kinds of things to teach us what we need to learn, even cranky furnaces, sick husbands, and quiet cold nights. I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful He loves me enough to show me where I am weak and how He is strong enough for both of us!

"And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." II Corinthians 12:9