Awful News!--------Doctor gives me six months to live!




(A fictional account of a day in my life that I hope never happens)

My wife had been telling me to go to the doctor for weeks. I told her the pain was just old age symptoms and that it would go away. Macho man that I am, I can take care of myself. Besides, sitting in a doctor's office is not my idea of a good way to spend the morning.

But when the pain persisted, and I was getting dizzy quite often, I finally listened to her and called the doctor. My first visit was somewhat normal. He did the usual tests of temperature, blood pressure, urinalysis and blood tests. He then made an appointment for me to come back the next week when all the test results were in.

The next week was one of a lot of anxiety. The pain persisted, and the dizzyness was recurrent. Sitting in the waiting room was not a fun time. When the nurse called my name, I hurried back to the doctor. I was somewhat relieved when he told me the tests were not conclusive, and he needed to do a Cat Scan to ascertain what he suspected might be wrong with me. He did not share anything specific with me, so I spent another anxious few days until the results of the Cat Scan came in.

Sitting in the chair across from the doctor, he told me the fateful news. "What I suspected Jim is true. The Cat Scan has confirmed my suspicions. Your diagnosis is terminal. You probably have six months left to live."

My heart had dropped me to the ground. My knees grew weak. I struggled to ask if there was any cure. He said "No, Jim I am sorry." We then talked about treatment for pain and he asked me if my affairs and legal matters were in order. I told him I would work on it.

As I walked to my car and pondered how I would tell my family, I was struck with a sense of peace from God. On one hand I had lived a wonderful life, and had seen my kids grow up and made tons of friends around the world. On the other hand I was somewhat thankful that I had six months left to change the things in my life that needed changing.

I thought about all those times I had been angry at my family. I thought of that verse about Jesus, when they all wondered at the "gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth." Several folks that I have known in the past, have died suddenly and did not have the time to prepare like I have been given.

Many thoughts raced through my mind and many questions? Who do I need to talk to about Jesus and their eternal destiny? Who do I need to apologize to and set right some wrong that I have done in their life? What business relationship do I need to set straight? What do I need to do to prepare my family for my death? What can I say and do in the next six months that will make an impact for all eternity?

Wow, did my perspective change or what?

The things I was doing before I went to that doctor seemed so important at the time, and now in the light of eternity, they now seem relatively unimportant.

The scriptures became more clear to me. When Paul talked in Philippians 3:8 about getting to know Jesus, he was in a Roman prison awaiting death. The most important things in life take on a renewed perspective when you face eternity.

I thought I was going to live forever, when down deep in my heart I knew that was not true. But it is hard to face death. We will all get there one day. No one escapes. Perhaps now I can get my act together and do those things of which I will have no regret when the Lord takes me home.

My friends, perhaps this will be your wakeup call. I wrote this fictional story to help Jim Young look at his life. Perhaps it will challenge you also.

Short P.S.
One of my closest friends sent me his list. Here it is:
What would you really do with that BRIEF AMOUNT OF TIME.
1. Get financial affairs in order. (Estate Planning).
2. Travel
3. Spend as much time with your wife and kids as possible.
4. Live at peace with yourself and the world around you.
5. Get it right with people whom you may have broken relationships.
6. Take better care of yourself physically.
7. (Who cares) Everyday eat what you want for every meal.
8. Take times of extended solitude preparing to meet your maker.
9. Spend lots of time with good friends you aren't going to see for awhile.
10. Or just go on living your life the way you have been living it.
The ideal answer is # 10 "just go on living your life the way you have been living it." If a man can say that . . . he has already done all of the above. Living life not as though you have only six months to live, but one day to live. Just some thoughts off the top of my head.



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