Hello friends! Welcome to His Encouragement, a weekly dose of biblical encouragement to help get you through your week! Make sure you check out what my friends have to say too. Let’s all encourage each other!
Lately our church has been praying for a young mother who has been battling cancer. Sunday night during prayer time, we were informed that she was in kidney failure and the doctor only gave her weeks to live. Monday morning a message went to our ladies text thread saying she had gone to be with the Lord early that morning. I can’t even imagine what this husband and his children are going through right now. I would be devastated if anything ever happened to my husband. Today I want to talk about two responses we have during a tragedy like this.
The first, and the most humanly response is to question God. Why take a young mother? Why take a wife? Why take a woman who has a lifetime ahead of her? I know I’ve had these thoughts a time or two – it’s our human nature. Sometimes we can’t help but question why things happen in our lives and in the lives of others. But we don’t see the big picture. That is the Lord’s job.
Here’s the other response – acknowledging the event is an answer to prayer. Sounds weird right? But think about it this way. We’ve been praying for healing for this woman for months. At the moment she passed away and went to be with the Lord, she was healed. Completely healed.
“For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord…” Jeremiah 30:17a
When this woman passed onto glory, the Lord had answered our prayers for healing. It may not be the way we wanted her to be healed, but we know that the Lord doesn’t answer prayers how we went them answered. He answers them in a way that is best. Let’s look at another answer to prayer.
This woman lived for the Lord. Perhaps at the funeral, her love for Jesus was shared and someone in attendance came to acknowledge their need for Jesus in their lives. Anytime someone accepts salvation it is an answer to prayer. Amen? Or, maybe her young children saw that she loved the Lord right until the very end, and it stays with them throughout their time here on earth, and reminds them to love Jesus with all their heart. Another answer to a prayer – for our children to stay close to the Lord.
My point is this – we don’t always know the why. And yes, sometimes it hurts. But we can always rejoice in the fact that the Lord knows exactly what needs to happen in every single situation. And one day, we will all be completely healed from whatever we are battling. That deserves a big Hallelujah, don’t you think!?
What’s been on your heart this week friends? I hope you’ll share in the comments, and please don’t forget to visit my friends and see what they’re sharing this week!
Trisha @ Joy of Reading
Nicole @ Christian Fiction Girl
Jacquelyn @ A Heavenly Home
Becca @ The Becca Files
Gina @ Stories by Gina
Rebecca @ Rev. Rebecca Writes
Andi @ Radiant Light
This is such an amazing post today <3 I'm sorry for the pain I know her family and friends (including you) are going through but this is so true in having an eternal perspective. We see death as an end but knowing that she was a believer brings comfort that she is not only with her Heavenly Father but she is healed. Thanks for sharing this today. I'll be praying <3
I’m so very sorry for your loss. It does hurt even when you logically understand and accept that she’s with Jesus.
I love this post. We are very limited thinkers. We think in one dimension … earth. But God is multidimensional. He sees, understands, creates, and thinks in ways we can’t comprehend and on levels we don’t even know. My dad was a fire captain. He lived to serve others. He was a hero to many. I believe it was SO merciful of God to take my dad home immediately after the car accident. If he had survived that accident I think it would have killed my dad’s soul. There’s no way he couldn’t serve others. It just wasn’t in him. God knew that, so He took my dad home. What kindness! It stinks as a daughter left behind, but I’m SO glad he’s with Jesus.