When God Doesn’t Make Sense?
In life, there are many times for all of us that it seems God just doesn’t make sense, and our faith seems to quickly fade. It is in those pivotal moments in the lives of Christ followers, in those dark seasons in our lives, when God doesn’t seem to make sense, especially against our seemingly unsurpassable circumstances, that sometimes Faith is all we have!
Below is an email from a dear friend whose daughter was diagnosed with cancer when she was in Junior High and a member of my Student Ministry, 7 years ago. Yet she still continues to battle cancer and the devastating effects of several years on Chemo Therapy. Her Chemo Therapy Treatments have essentially destroyed her jaw and have causd her teeth to quickly decay…She will probably need oral reconstruction surgery, to fix the damage caused by multiple years of Chemo Therapy.
However, I want you to listen to the heart of her loving father, and how it breaks for his child. However, even amongst his toil and tears, he provides me a glimpse into the deep love which our Heavenly Father has for us who know Him!
Please read below…
After weeks of getting nowhere with obtaining an appointment in Atlanta, I was able to get my daughter in to see Dr. Podyandi here in our home town. He was very frank with us and told us that botox would not work in my daughter’s case. This was devastating to me because out of character I had put all of my eggs in one basket. I suppose it was because that was the only choice it looked as though we had. Dr Podyandi said that we may have some success with oral surgery but it placed a low percentage on achieving the goal of opening her mouth proficient enough for a dentist to work. Dr Podyandi’s straightforward manner was on target for me.
We will keep searching until a door opens. I asked my daughter if we could go with benadryl and pain medicine as previously suggested and attempt getting an impression. She completely blocked my suggestion. This led to a sleepless night for me feeling as though there were not any alternatives left. After all, going through another surgery, especially one with a low possibility of success seems out of the question. During the night hours, I scanned through the channels and nothing would satisfy my racing mind. I decided to do what I do best during stress and that is eating.
The righteous answer would be that I turned it over to God and I prayed. After seven years, it is a battle to pray and it is tough continuing to fight the little battles. When you have a crisis that does not change that I still have a job and as you know problems come with that and there are other normal concerns such as paying the bills, disciplining kids, and the other incidents of life that build our character.
When these events enter through my thought process I begin thinking of the men in the Old Testament and how they waited for years to see their promises fulfilled – Abraham, Noah, Job, Moses. The problem is that I am far from their caliber but it is encouraging to hang on to their examples.
Then I concentrate on the blessings I have in my life – a wife that supports me, four kids that put a smile on my face, healthy parents, great families on both sides, good job, terrific friends, to name a few.
Due to the cancer we face, my life has become an open book and I hope that I can minister to families that face the hardships of having a child with a life threatening disease and the effects it has on areas people can’t imagine. If a person is going to help someone it is better to do so by actions rather than words. I am in a situation where I can do that and I trust I will.
Mean while back at the ranch we have found a therapist today that will work with Haley for $75 an hour out of pocket because insurance will not cover the therapy. Big deal; it would be far ahead of another surgery. I said for him to go for it. We shall see.
My words are long but thanks for hanging in there with me. I ask that you pray for my daughter’s upcoming MRI… to be free of cancer and that she is able to move forward with rehabilitating her dental work.
Wow! What a powerful story my friend has with his daughter! Although riddled with cancer for the last 7 years, they still press on, also hoping to help others with similar circumstances, along the way…It makes me think of the words which Paul wrote to the church at Corinth:
“All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort – we get a full measure of that, too. When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you’re just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you’re going to make it, no doubt about it.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (MSG)
I am also reminded of the words of Mother Teresa when she wrote: “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.”
