There was a priest who visited a woman in the hospital, nearing the end of her life. As the priest was leaving, he pointed to the empty chair by the bedside and said, "Every time you look at that chair, imagine Jesus sitting in it. Just talk to Him like He’s right there, because He is. Prayer will come easy.”
The woman took that advice to heart. A few days later, her daughter called the priest to say that her mother had passed away peacefully. She added, “When I left the room for about fifteen minutes, she passed. And the strange thing is—when I found her, her head wasn’t on the pillow. It was resting on the chair beside her.”
Friends, isn’t that a beautiful picture of what God invites us to do? He says, “Cast all your anxiety on Me, because I care for you” (1 Peter 5:7). He invites us to lean on Him, not just in the big storms of life, but in every moment.
You may not be in a hospital room today, but perhaps you’re carrying a burden too heavy to bear. Maybe you’re overwhelmed by life, uncertain about the future, or walking through pain. Remember, Jesus is as close as that chair beside you. He’s not a faraway God; He’s a present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).
But here’s the key: you have to let go of the weight. So often, we carry around our worries, trying to handle it all in our own strength, thinking it’s all up to us. But God is saying, “You don’t have to do this alone. Lean on Me. Let Me carry you.” That woman didn’t just hope Jesus was there; she believed with all her heart that He was right there with her. And in her final moments, she wasn’t just at peace; she was resting in His presence.
So, let go of the worry, let go of the fear, and lean into God’s loving arms. Because when you do, you’ll find a strength you didn’t know you had. You’ll find a peace that doesn’t make sense to the world. And you’ll know that no matter what comes your way, you’re never alone, never without hope.
The Picture is shared with the consent of the patient. May the memory of the righteous be a blessing.
