Through
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
-James 1:2
Just days ago, our dear friend, Janelle, was diagnosed with cancer. Janelle is a young, active, healthy mother- not exactly the kind of person you think of when your hear that terrible word. When she first heard the news, she was crushed. I'm sure that in those early moments, her heart was full of questions as she tearfully cried out to God. Why would He allow this to happen to His precious child?
But, in the days since her initial diagnosis, an amazing thing has happened. Not only has God given Janelle an incredible assurance of His peace and joy in the midst of this trial, but He has also given her the strength to use her circumstances to give Him glory. She writes...
“I have had people tell me that they are feeling challenged to find a more intimate relationship with God. I have heard from people that are finding encouragement in their own lives because of the faith God is giving me as I walk through this difficult section of mine. I want to be clear. I take NO credit for any of this. I am just thankful that God sees me fit to use my life for something bigger than I could ever have planned or imagined.”
She continues...
“I long for your prayers. I know that I desperately need them right now. But I want to ask that each time you pray for me, would you also pray for someone in your life who does not yet have a relationship with God? I know that as we do this together God will gives us opportunities to encourage one another.”
Wow! Rather than surrender to fear and despair, she is choosing to praise God through it all. She chooses to trust in the goodness of her God even when she doesn't understand.
Janelle's attitude in the face of her cancer reminds me of the lyrics of a song written by Bill and Gloria Gaither called “Through.”
“When I saw what lay before me,
Lord, I cried, “What will you do?”
I thought He would just remove it,
but He gently led me through.”
“Without fire, there's no refining.
Without pain, no relief.
Without flood, there's no rescue.
Without testing, no belief.”
“Through the fire, through the flood,
through the water, through the blood,
through the dry and barren places,
through life's dense and maddening mazes,”
“through the pain and through the glory,
through we'll always tell the story,
of a God whose power and mercy will not fail to take us through.”
May the Lord take you through the challenges and trials that you are facing with His grace and mercy so that He may get the glory in every circumstance in your life.
God bless!
Pastor Andy
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