Tuesday, August 17, 2010

How do you mend a broken heart?

Not a heart broken by romance, but by a son clinging to life in the NICU. I have a very good friend whose children have a child in the NICU and are trying to "faith" their way through the situation. Everything is "claim god", "trust god", "cling to his word", "walk by faith, not by sight" ad infinitum.

They are tired, overwrought, and listing from seeking caring at one moment to rejecting any such overture as "evidence of doubt" the next. Every time the doctors want to do something, the family has a prayer conference about it and does what god "leads" them to do.

The odds are that this sweet little boy is going to break their hearts and leave them, in spite of the tremendous efforts on the part of the medical and support staff and the love and caring shown by the family. They seem beyond helping at the moment, since to consider the possibility of loss is "doubting god", but I would like to support my friend without offering false hope or suggesting that I believe a "higher power" can fix the situation (he is also a believer, but a good deal more practical than the kids).

What would you do if you found yourself in this situation? How would you show concern and support while not betraying your personal beliefs?

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