A Prayers of Courage

     Many years ago a wonderful woman named Helen taught Sunday School to a group of about five or more girls.  The girls I remember, Denise, Karen, MaryBeth, Brenda and myself.  She was our pastor’s wife, and she engaged beautifully with us as young believers.  I would venture to guess that all of us have remained passionate followers of Jesus Christ.  One of which I know has been home with the Lord for the past 30 years now.  What a legacy Helen left, not only with the years she taught us (second and third grade), but also through us.  God has graced me with the opportunity to teach young people how to walk by faith in Him through my own Sunday School classroom of about a dozen kids.  This wasn’t my top choice of ministries, as a matter of fact I resisted it at first.  But the Holy Spirit’s message came through loud and clear to me one day as  I listened to some audio lessons from Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God program.  It wasn't my first pass through these materials, but a timely reminder.  What it revealed to me that day was simply, 'Look to see where God is at work, and join Him."  I know that I’ve shared this lesson with many people, and it is one that I will not forget because God intended to plant it firmly in my heart.  So often I take my agenda to God, but He wants to give His lessons to me; He doesn't need to take it from me.       

      This week I learned that one of Helen's three daughters, a women a few years older than myself and a grandmother to more than a dozen children, is facing a difficult path that God has placed her feet upon.  She received the news that one of her grandchildren, an 11-year-old girl, has been diagnosed with cancer.  They find themselves surrounded by new acquaintances in this journey that they would have never chosen for themselves.  I am connected with this daughter of Helen through Facebook and have been reading her daily messages steeped with struggle, but hope.  We, as Christians, are not given a free-pass to escape experiencing hardships.  God teaches us many things through the paths we travel.

       My friend shares, “Lord, I’ve been looking at what I think you should do, what I’d do if I were you.”  This prayer is honest and gut-wrenching and hits very close to home.  We often prefer to be the decision-makers in matters such as these 'hard things to bear'.  We want to be God and turn things around in our favor.  We would love to bypass the hard road in favor of a more pleasant easy path while we gain Godly-wisdom.  Couldn't we just walk through the orchard and hear the birds chirping freely as we receive the equipping to do our fruit-bearing work?  As I read her message, my heart cries for her and I can feel gratitude that I’m not walking in her shoes right now.  She goes on to say, “And yet you know exactly what you’re doing.  Your ways are higher than my ways.”   My friend recognizes that God’s hand is in this.  He is not asking her to travel alone.  He has a plan to work 'all things for the good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose' (Romans 8:28 ESV) The trials we face are not always written with our name on them.  God knows that my friend has the faith that will reveal who He is in the trauma ahead.  I do not know my friend's daughter, nor her son-in-law, but I am reading their updates as well.  I have seen the deep faith of this family and their friends.  Their eyes are wide-open to see other families facing similar circumstances as their own daughter.  They are willing to be used by God in this situation.

      My friend concludes, “What I really want Lord is that you receive glory from my life.  Maximum glory.  The full weight of your glory.”  How easy is it to seek a heart-change when you are hurting?  How often do we request an escape route rather than a path that leads us right through the thick jungle of unknown pain and suffering we know we will experience.  It will not just be this little girl that suffers through each medical procedure, but her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.  My friend will be watching with eyes that want to see the good.  She will be listening to hear ‘a word behind her, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.’  (Isaiah 30:21 ESV)  In this situation, we already see evidence that other families are receiving prayers for their children, that conversations of faith are taking place in waiting rooms hoping for good news, and that doctors are seeing the strength that only God can provide through this family.  In the weeks and months ahead, this journey will be fruitful.  Angels will rejoice as each new soul finds their way home (from glory to glory).  God has a plan.

      My friend’s prayers move her toward dependency when she writes, “Work in my heart and in each of these situations, Lord so that you are most glorified.”  I do not wish to take the privacy away from my friend’s journey, nor teach without empathy this “hard road” that she’s been asked to walk.  This morning she requested a word from friends to post on behalf of this hardship how God is changing us.  From this, she will gain strength as encouragements will come from many places.  One-person shared Psalm 121, another Isaiah 40, another Psalm 4, yet another John 16:33, and still another a passage from 2 Thessalonians 2.  My lesson came from John 6.  

      I would like to encourage you today with these words, 'When you are discouraged ask others to be your strength,' as my friend did.  With honesty let’s lay our burden down and share how God is changing our thinking.  My friend took the time to let the lesson sink in.  Even though she would handle this differently, she knows her source of strength and wisdom come from God (from Scriptures and often through the fellowship with other believers).  Humankind has hindsight to look back in the future and say, “I wouldn’t change a thing.”  But God sees what is ahead and through the Holy Spirit can prepare us for it.  This is God’s story (His Story), and my friend is blessed to know it.  You and I are part of ‘His Story’ too.  Are we willing to face the challenges He lays on our path with courage?

     While preparing a Bible lesson, the Holy Spirit laid before me a video from a pastor from a megachurch in Hawaii who was given the diagnosis of cancer last summer (2018).  And like most of us would do, he wrestled with this information and asked God many questions.  His first was 'Why Me?'  What God reveal to him was ' You need to ask better questions.'  The right question he discovered was "Who are you God"?  This question gives God the chance to show us His awesomeness.