We pass by or casually greet people as we go about our daily routines, in church, in the grocery store, etc., without ever knowing the pressure they are under. Some may even be at a breaking point. Perhaps, you or someone you know well is under pressure right now. Please allow this word I wrote four years ago to encourage you.

“You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors” (James 1:3, MSG).

“Necessary Pressure”

Last Friday night, I began noticing some black spots in a floating circle out of the periphery of my right eye.  By Sunday morning, it had expanded to what looked like a granular black cloud of fine dust particles with a dark spiral of circles in the middle and a black spot at the top of the cloud, all this blocking the vision in my right eye.  In addition, there were infrequent flashes of light in the right corner of the eye. An appointment was made with my primary care physician for this morning.

Within the first couple of minutes of the visit, he hinted that emergency surgery may be required.  He quickly called the ophthalmology division and arranged for me to be seen right away.  Now I have had optometry exams with machines and bright lights, but nothing like what I was put through this afternoon by the ophthalmologist!  As he executed his examination, applying extreme pressure and blinding lights so extensively that it felt like he was destroying my eyes! But he kept saying, “I know this is uncomfortable, tough to endure, and a lot of pressure, but it is necessary.” 

When it was finally over after what seemed like an hour or so, he explained that the jelly pack in my eye had transformed from solid to liquid and had popped some blood vessels, releasing blood spots behind my eye.  This was causing floating spirals and light flashes, and it was a process taking place in my eye that could take six weeks to complete.  In that time, the floaters may disappear altogether or partially. There is also the possibility of my retina being severed or detached, so he will monitor me closely, beginning with a second visit next Friday morning. 

I left home this morning, not knowing what was going on in my right eye.  Not knowing if I would have to have surgery that would interfere with my ability to complete the CBI class I’m teaching and much more. After praying and enduring a lot of necessary pressure, I returned home with the same eye issue, but a fresh new outlook.  I now know what is going on in my eye. I have a specialist who has promised to monitor it carefully for me– and no surgery is necessary! No medication is necessary!  Btw, this is what I had prayed for and texted my wife to pray for before I went in to see the ophthalmologist!  My faith was forced into the open. I was put under pressure!  But because of the pressure, I have a bright new perspective.

Someone reading this may be under pressure. Perhaps your faith is being tested.  It is necessary pressure.  If you endure and keep the faith, God will be the specialist for your situation.  As we used to sing, “God specializes in things we think are impossible and He will do what no other power, nothing but Holy Ghost power can do!”

Focus Quote: “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides… Don’t try to get out of anything prematurely.  Let it do its work, so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.”   –James 1:2-4, MSG