The Future is God's Job

“Then they believed his promises and sang his praise. But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his plan to unfold.” Psalm 106: 12—13

Sometimes the best lessons in the Bible come indirectly—not from studying the laws and the commands, but from discovering the mistakes of others. I can look at the ancient Israelites and think, “What a shame they didn’t just wait for God’s plan in their lives. They made things so much harder on themselves.” Then this warm yet strangely uncomfortable feeling slowly works its way from my head to my toes. My heart begins pounding and I feel like a schoolgirl about to be reprimanded by her teacher. The Spirit whispers to my soul, “You are exactly like them.”

I do believe God’s promises and I do sing His praise. But I also want God to tell me what will happen next. I want to know when, how, and most importantly—WHY. When will He heal me? How long, O Lord, must I wait on You? And how is it going to happen? Will it be with a raw-food diet or some alternative treatment, the use of chemotherapy, or bone marrow transplants? Or, as many Christians ironically are loath to consider, will it be through the passage of death that leads to a most amazing eternity with Him and a most perfect spiritual body, where sickness and weeping will be no more?  I, for one, would love to know! But even if given the answers to how and when, I still would not be satisfied. I would want to know why He appointed this for me. What is the purpose? What is He hoping to accomplish?  

God, in His infinite wisdom, does not usually give us detailed descriptions of how He is planning to carry out His perfect plan for our lives. Instead, He asks us to trust that He knows what He is doing. He created us, He loves us, and He promises to protect and provide for us every moment of every day. He will give us all the information that we need when we need it, not a moment too soon nor a moment too late. He will give us all the grace we need to endure our trials when we need it, not a moment too soon nor a moment too late. His timing is always perfect. His plan is always for our good. The future is God’s job, not ours. All He asks is that we trust Him, rest in Him, allow Him to comfort us, believe in His promises, and wait for Him. It sounds so easy, but even those simple tasks are impossible for me without His grace.

Father, forgive me when I take matters into my own hands without consulting You first. Forgive me for looking for other ways to calm my anxious heart instead of turning to You. I beg You to increase my faith, and help me to trust You. Help me and my precious brothers and sisters in Christ to live like we believe Your promises. Let our lives be a source of hope and peace to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Limitations of Sickness

“Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.” Philippians 1:18b-19

As one who wrestles with cancer, I sometimes feel like my sickness has the upper hand and has me pinned to the mat. I have to remind myself that by the grace of God, I am the one on top—my sickness is limited and finite and not in control. As a character in the teen movie Penelope puts it: “It’s not the power of the curse, it’s the power you GIVE the curse” that is the problem. But nobody expresses this idea better than Charles Spurgeon, who writes about the limitations of sickness in his devotional “Evening by Evening”. He reminds us that God is control of our sickness and it can only go as far as He ordains. As God’s purpose is always for the “instruction” and not the “destruction” of His people, we can trust that He will carry us through the trial and that He will never give us more than we can bear.

“The God of providence has limited the time, manner, intensity, and effects of all our sicknesses. Each throb is decreed, each sleepless hour predestinated, each relapse ordained, each depression of spirit foreknown, and each sanctifying result eternally purposed.” Remembering what God can do through my disease and how all of this can and should be for His glory helps keep me from spiraling down into self-pity. Instead, I can thank Him for the beautiful day that I am living right now and look to see what He has in store for me and for His kingdom. For He still has great plans for each and every one of us—every single day. As long as we draw breath, He has a beautiful purpose for us.

“This limit [of sickness] is wisely adjusted to our strength, to the end designed, and to the grace apportioned. Affliction does not come by chance—the weight of every stroke of the rod—is accurately measured. He who made no mistakes in balancing the clouds, and measuring out the heavens, commits no errors in measuring out the ingredients which compose the medicine of souls. We cannot suffer too much—nor be relieved too late!” These words of Spurgeon’s are incredibly comforting to me. So often I forget that God will always rescue me in time. How often does He need to do this before I remember it always? He will always rescue me at the exact time that I can bear no more. He will never, ever let me suffer more than the grace that He gives me to endure it. And none of my suffering is ever in vain if I allow Him to work it for good—for His glory, for my benefit as I draw closer to Him, and for blessing those around me. As my youngest daughter told me about three years ago when she was only 13, “Mom, your cancer has brought me so much closer to God.” Her spiritual growth is a blessing that I have thanked God for so many times. That alone stops me in my tracks whenever the “why me’s” begin to plague me.

“The limit is tenderly appointed. The knife of the heavenly Surgeon never cuts deeper than is absolutely necessary. ‘He does not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men.’ A mother’s heart cries, ‘Spare my child!’ but no mother is more compassionate than our gracious God.” I am awestruck when I remember how much God loves me. He loves me more than any parent, than any human being, ever could. He grieves to see me grieve, and He only allows that grief into my life when He has a beautiful, higher purpose for it. Here on earth, I can’t conceive what that purpose can be, but I can trust that a God whose love for me is so deep and wide and infinite is using all of this cancer to accomplish something beautiful and lasting, and to bless me in ways that otherwise would not have been possible for this strong-willed child.

Lord, help to remind me that cancer never has the upper hand—only You do. You are in control of this sickness. You will only allow it to go so far, and it will never hamper Your perfect plan for my life. This cancer is pinned down and limited by You, and it cannot escape from beneath You. You have rescued me time and again from fear and pain. You seek my good at all times and will never allow disease to thwart Your perfect plan for this day. Praise be to the Father, the Son, and to the Holy Spirit!