Soul Scientist

For those of you who remember from a while back, this is yet another letter to Sarah. For those of you who don’t remember, I’ve been writing letters to a lovely young woman who’s learning to trust our Jesus in some very hard life challenges of chronic illness. Both she and I surely hope that this letter (and the others found in the archive section here on the blog) encourages you deep in the soil of your soul today.

Dear Sarah,

Did you ever read (or watch the movie) The Secret Garden by F.H. Burnett? In case you didn’t, here’s the story in a nutshell. A lonely young girl named Mary is sent to live with her uncle after the death of her parents. She’s scared, angry, and without hope. After she discovers a secret garden on her uncle’s estate, she begins to open her heart to hope, love, and friendship while working on the garden. And as the garden starts to bloom, Mary does too in allowing joy, wonder, and peace to grow in her heart.

As I was thinking of this story the other day, I was reminded of the story in 1 Kings chapter 21 about Ahab, Jezebel, and Naboth. And in case you haven’t read this, here’s that story in a nutshell. Naboth had a small vineyard next to Ahab and Jezebel’s palace. But evil, greedy, and self-sufficient Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard for a vegetable garden for himself. Ahab whined about this to Jezebel who was also evil, greedy, and self-sufficient. So, she had Naboth killed and then told Ahab to take the vineyard for his garden.

Two stories with vastly different endings but with similarities in lives changed forever. Naboth and his family received grief, death, and loss. Mary and her friend experienced beauty, joy, and hope. A sharp contrast in outcome from the distinctive difference of what controlled the story – looking for beauty or living in discontent. Yet both stories are examples of how to live, be it what to embrace or what to evade.

And our stories, as chronic illness patients, can be examples of how to live or how not to live, depending on Who or what we have as our focus. With that in mind and without deliberate choosing, we can easily reside in bitterness, defeat, and resentment. Or conversely, we can choose to abide with and cast all our cares on our Christ Who takes ahold of us to draw us up out of pits of evil, anger, and fear (see Psalm 40:2).

Our Christ doesn’t just call us to come to Him and find rest (see Matthew 11:28-30). He’s there with us in our weeping and wondering if we can survive this next 24 hours of agony (see Psalm 56:8).

Please, hear me, dear Sarah. Jesus doesn’t command us not to weep or wonder. He tells us not to worry while telling Him all the details, denials, disappointments, and defeats of our days (see Philippians 4:6-7). He doesn’t condemn us for our fears; He gives us the courage and strength to stand firm amidst them (see Ephesians 6:10-20).

Jesus is the One Who is our Vine from which all strength, hope, courage, love, grace, and mercy comes (see John chapter 15). He is both the Source and the Keeper of life. He can make our hearts’ gardens alive again. Nothing is impossible for Him (see Luke 1:37).

We may think our lives are filled with weeds of waiting without relief or answers, wandering from doctor to hospital and back again, and working to keep our mouths free of whining and our hearts from being afraid. But no matter what we think or are going through, where we are or have been, or how long we’ve been stuck in this pain, Jesus makes all things new (see Revelation 21:5).

New. Yes, new.

Only Jesus can and does bring life. And He brings life to the full (see John 10:10). There’s no hidden sin strong enough to stop Him. There’s no disease debilitating enough to deny His Presence. There’s no pain powerful enough to slow His working.

Nothing can be kept from His work of making someone new. And that nothing includes disease, disability, diagnoses, dried-up dreams and days that seem to stretch on forever in the waiting for deliverance from pain, grief, or loss.

He is never late. Nor is He ever without love.

He is never mistaken. Nor is He ever without mercy.

He is never faithless. Nor is He ever without forgiveness.

And dear Sarah, that’s the Jesus Who is with you and with me right now making all things new in His good plan for good for us (see Romans 8:28).

With much love,

Your friend,

Beth

Dear Reader,

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written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2025.