About two months ago, I spent 3 weeks on iV antibiotics, all specific to Psuedamonas aeruginosa, a common pathogen in CF.  [If the science has lost you already, keep reading.  I promise I’ll stop with the technical terms and bacteria names soon.  :)]  Just last week, I got a call from clinic with my latest culture results.  “A ton of Psuedamonas aeruginosa colonies,” she said, “and some Staphalococcus aureus colonies.”  She sounded slightly bewildered, for a number of reasons.  First, that course of IVs that I mentioned.  It was supposed to kill all of this.  Second, because my pulmonary functions were the best that this clinic has seen the day they took this culture.  By all rights and medical reasons, this infection should not be here.

So what do you do when things happen that “shouldn’t”?  What happens when things don’t go as you planned?  What happens when things like Psuedamonas aeruginosa infections come along when you don’t expect them (or want them)?

Do you run to the things of this world, to alcohol or to a person?  Do you throw a hissy fit like a two year old just to get noticed?  Do you turn on Netflix to drown out the dull roar in your own head with a drink in your hand and a heaping pile of ice cream in the bowl in front of you?  Or do you run into the open arms of Jesus, humbling yourself by asking others to pray for you, trusting that He has a plan for you, even in the difficulties and the things that don’t “work out”?

Now, I’m not saying that Netflix and ice cream (and even the occasional drink) are bad.  They’re actually really good things in moderation.  But if that is the only response you have to these situations, you are missing everything that God has for you.

Whether it is an infection, a broken relationship, a job falling through, or any number of other things, take heart in this: God has a plan, and He is still God.  He knows what we need, every hour of every day.  Trust Him completely.  When things don’t go the way you think they should, run through the valley knowing that God will bring you to the mountaintop.  The climb may be difficult.  But the view is exceptional once you get there.  Keep climbing, one step at a time.