Where’s the anesthesia?!

“Ain’t no way!” was my immediate thought.

In the ’90’s I had a minor surgery, and the doctor told me he would use a “local” anesthetic instead of putting me out for the short, fairly routine surgery.

“Not gonna happen!” was my next thought.

I explained to the doctor there was no way I was going to be cut open, worked on, and sewn up while I was conscious. I didn’t want to see or hear or have any awareness of the experience. None!

Fortunately the doctor agreed I could be administered anesthesia, the surgery was scheduled, and everything worked out fine.

There are plenty of people very different from me who prefer to be awake during certain surgeries. I wonder if any of them are “back seat drivers” to the surgeon. You know, asking the doctor, “What are you doing now?” “Why are you doing that?” “Do you think that’s wise?” “Have you considered …”

When it comes to surgery, I consider the surgeon the expert. If we agree on what needs to be done, I put myself in his highly trained, professional hands (after much prayer!) and trust him to effectively, capably accomplish what needs to be done. I can’t provide him any assistance, his work is far beyond me. I really want him to do things the way he thinks they should be done, and I’m grateful for his wisdom.

Isn’t that a little how we should treat God?

Shouldn’t we be glad God does things His way? After all, He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and perfect. Isaiah 55:8-9 says this of God:

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

So when God operates on our lives, when He opens up our hearts and our minds for some radical “surgery,” we can rest that we are in the hands of the Master Physician. He knows what He’s doing in us and for us, and He doesn’t need our second-guessing or back seat driving. Just our trust and our faith that He has our best interests as His objective.

We can be glad that God does things His way!

Are you?

Scotty