Hopeful Faithfuls (II)
“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (NIV) Jeremiah 32:27
“Do not be anxious about anything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (NIV) Philippians 4:6
As I tell you the stories of people I know personally and what they are dealing with and how they still radiate so much joy and enthusiasm around them, it is my prayer that you will take a clue from these friends of mine and instead of letting your problems weigh on you, you would let God deal with the situation as you relax and keep trusting Him to come through for you.
Today, I introduce to you another great friend. He was diagnosed with cancer about two years ago. I accidentally heard of his issue from another friend when his name came up in a discussion. The description I was given showed that his condition was very bad. I immediately said it’s probably not the same person we were discussing because I had spoken to this friend barely a week ago and he sounded very energetic and bubbly just like I knew him. So to clear my doubt, I called him and he confirmed it. He told me how difficult it has been and how the treatment has drained all his resources not to mention how painful the treatment is. As I listened to him on the phone, I broke down and wept. This is someone who takes his health very seriously and a dedicated Christian so why must God allow this “scary disease” pass his way? One outstanding thing about him is that he keeps telling me that this illness has drawn him closer to God more than ever and that is the blessing amidst what he’s going through. How can he possibly find any form of blessing in this suffering, one may ask? Well, he decided to look beyond the problem and that is the source of his strength which gives him an energetic and enthusiastic personality even in his current situation.
What separates Christians from the people of the world is not the type of problems we face, for we may face similar problems but what separates us is how we deal with the problems that come our way. As Christians, we have entrusted our burdens in the hands of God and we know He will deal with it so we aren’t anxious about our problems. We are enthusiastic and joyous such that the world wonders if we have problems at all. May the way we react to our problems make the world want to come and have a taste of our secret who is Christ, our strength! God bless you.