Power of Presence

I was reading an article by Jim Burns called “Power of Being There” the night that I was sitting in a PEDS ICU with the family of a boy from our youth group—three states from home! While on vacation in Michigan, 16-year-old Patrick had a major asthma attack that had caused him to stop breathing. I had been contacted by the family about 6-8 hours after the situation. They were over 6 hours away from home in a hospital they didn’t know in a part of the country that they weren’t familiar with—with a son that was in a life-threatening situation.

In less than two hours I was in a rental car on my way to Michigan. I had been with the family for a couple of days when I started to read Jim’s article and it made me think about how important it was for this family that I was there. This wasn’t really about me at all but it was about the power of presence.

When I had first arrived at the hospital the dad and mom were having trouble processing all that they had just heard about their son. But with a familiar face to talk to and share what they heard they were able to think better. I really didn’t do much, just listen and listened and listened. That was what they needed and it was an awesome God moment. During that time we found out that their son’s brain had stopped working.

I was just there to be a sounding board to talk about their son, to cry with, and to just be seen. They didn’t need words or even actions—they just needed to know someone was there for them. The next time you get a call to be with a hurting family, remember what they may need isn't your advice, wisdom, or expertise—it may simply be your presence. Know that you're being used in a mighty way. Don’t underestimate the Power of Presence.