On Sunday night, a nine year old boy died of cancer.
Where was God?
Last night, a good man died of cancer.
What was God up to?
This week, 25 miners were killed in an accident in West Virginia.
Was God aware of this?
8 people died this week in Pakistan when the U.S. Consulate was bombed.
Why didn’t God stop it?
And, on a much smaller scale, my head still hurts.
Does God really care?
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My faith has taken a beating this week. However, I don’t choose to believe because of how I feel but because of what God’s Word says (why I trust Scripture is a topic for another post).
God knows what is going on. Nothing that has happened surprised Him or happened outside of His plans – even though we don’t understand it.
Hebrews 4:13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
It’s OK to mourn. And to allow the God of the universe to comfort us in our pain. And to know that Jesus is the One to whom we can run when we get overwhelmed with all this pain and grief.
John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
Matthew 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.
Lamentations 3:22-23 Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness.
Mostly, when we grieve about friends and loved ones who are gone, we must remember that God has prepared a much better place for believers. A place without cancer, headaches, sickness, or death. A place filled with God’s amazing love.
Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 4:17-18 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Revelation 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
6 comments:
Though the fig tree should not blossom,
nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Sorry you're going through such a hard time.
Thank you, Staci! I need all the reminders I can get. I will choose to follow Jesus - "To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."
I'm so glad for the trajectory that your post took - I was frightened for the first few lines.
I have been so prone in the past to living by my feelings - an older elder used to quote an old hymn to me "feelings come and feelings go and feelings are deceiving, my anchor is the Word of God, in that I am BELIEVING!
Praying for your headaches,
Deborah in Canada
Deborah, I was worried when I started writing, too!! But, the writing helps remind me sometimes that I may start with doubts, but I end on the Word Of God. And the feelings are following the facts, so I'm feeling much better right now.
Catherine
Catherine,
I have returned to this post again and again. I normally do not internet/facebook/blog or any of that all that much. This day, the Lord gave me this post. It was the day my mother died! It ministered the Word of the Lord to me THAT day. Because of your post, I feel led to recount the deeds of the Lord as they are happening in my life now with all this cancer buisness! Stay tooned to my caring bridge site -- and thanks for your proclaiming the truth!!
Love,
Cheryl Saucier
Oh, Cheryl! Thank you so much for telling me this! It encourages me to keep writing and to remind us all of the Lord's unfailing love!! Our family continues to pray for you!
Catherine
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