The doctor’s office finally called me back yesterday afternoon and told me that the he wants me to stay at the same level of prednisone, but just slow down the taper by a couple of extra weeks. That surprised me, to be honest. Today I once again noticed a drop in my hearing. In a way, I’m glad that I’m not increasing the steroids and dealing with more risk/side effects, but it’s also discouraging because then it seems that what this all means is that the improvement I had was only temporary and is dependent on me being on steroids. If that’s true, then maybe he’s not increasing my dose because if I’m still losing hearing while on steroids then ultimately they won’t stop my hearing loss from happening. This is too critical for me to make assumptions about the doctor’s decision without making sure that there hasn’t been a mistake in communication at his office and I need to make them aware that I have probably lost more hearing this morning.
Yesterday I was reading in Ephesians, and I was thinking about the instruction given to slaves:
Ephesians 6:5-8: Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
It struck me that none of us are in a situation where we are owned by another person and enslaved to that person. That would be a situation that would be difficult to put it mildly. I know that there were slaves who were forced into slavery involuntarily and that it was also a common practice in Bible days to make yourself an indentured servant or slave for a specific amount of time in order to pay off debt. Either way, you are at your master’s mercy. Some were kind, but many were cruel. I think of Joseph, and how he was sold into slavery by his brothers. It would be so easy to be bitter and angry and to do the least amount of work you could get away with and grumble and complain while you did it. Joseph was such a great example of someone being godly in a very difficult situation (and at the age of 17!) The scripture above says that slaves were not only to obey their masters and serve them, but to do it as if they were doing it for the Lord. It’s not about pleasing men, but about pleasing God, and it wasn’t only action that was required of them, but they also are told to do it with sincerity of heart! It doesn’t say “only if you have a kind master” but any master! It says that they are doing the will of God when they do this. He doesn’t promise to rescue them from slavery, but tells them how He expects them to act in their situation or station in life. What a lesson for us! If God expects this from someone who is a slave, and in a difficult and maybe unfair situation, wouldn’t he also expect it from us? We have it so easy in our lives. We don’t always appreciate that fact, but it’s true. I think about what’s happening to me with my hearing and I know that like the slave, God expects me to serve in whatever circumstance I find myself and to do my work as for the Lord AND with sincerity of heart. He doesn’t promise to “rescue me” from this or “cure” me. He expects all christians to do His will with a sincere heart whatever is going on in our lives. It’s one of the ways we can be light. We can’t always change the situations we find ourselves in but we can choose to do God’s will and serve Him and honor Him in any situation.
Quiet Insight 
what a great application to the slave or servant. This causes me pause, as you are correct that we are not promised “cures” or rescues but we are promised He will be with us through whatever circumstance we are in.
thinking of you friend, and praying too that you are more than able to find contentment in your life situation no matter where your hearing gains and losses go…… I love you!!
I see you as serving in another way here. Had this not happened, you may not have shared your journal, and being able to read your scriptural applications causes me to dwell further in the Word. I read from my Blue Letter Bible yesterday (online), so you are creating more opportunity for us to study the Word of God. So see it as a way to teach, and that would not happen nearly as often if I relied solely on face-to-face circumstances.