FIX IT, LORD!
“It’s not aggressive …”
His voice trailed off as I clutched the phone in my hand, the news assaulting my ears and devastating my heart and soul.
My world seemingly crumbled at my feet, and the tears rushed in like a full waterfall after weeks of rain, placing a tight ball in my throat rendering me unable to speak.
I sat in silence as he continued, “The news isn’t what we had hoped and prayed for, but this is a part of my journey here on earth. What’s that saying? ‘It is what it is’ …”
I struggled to regain my composure and force a response that wouldn’t let on that tears were streaming down my face, but he knew. He always knows.
Immediately, I wanted to swoop in and fix it! I wanted to solve all of his problems and take any and all burdens from him.
And yet …
This one is completely out of my control.
We spoke for a few more minutes, trying to make peace with this news that no one ever wants to hear. Then as we ended the call, I broke down completely with gut wrenching sobs escaping my lips. There was no stopping the wailing cries that were coming from what felt like my toes traveling up to escape, while the pain reflected on my face.
I didn’t care about anything at that moment, except this dear person’s life and survival!
Trying to process the news that took the breath right out of my lungs, I could feel the anger rising within me.
“WHY, GOD?!?! WHY HIM?!?!
We PRAYED to you! We asked YOU for good results from the biopsy, not THIS!
Why would you take a good man … and put him through SO MUCH in his lifetime!?
With fists and teeth clenched, I yelled out WHY, GOD!?!
YOU SAID all we needed was faith as small as a mustard seed, and we have MORE than that. Yet, you allowed this!
It’s not fair! Why do the bad people in the world seem to skate by without any thing bad happening to them? And yet this man … you make suffer.”
Anger is a very strong emotion! Although we are taught not to question God, it is only human nature to do so! It isn’t a sin, by the way. And, He can handle it. He IS God, after all.
The important thing is to get it all out; yell, scream, cry, even shake your fists at God!
Just DO NOT turn from Him!
And we won’t!
After having a meltdown or two, fussing and reasoning with God … I finally gathered all of the shattered pieces of my heart and turned them back over to Him.
“Help him, Lord … heal him on THIS side of Heaven! We want to keep him here with us. Please, God … please!”
Faith Under Fire
My husband and I just recently watched Faith Under Fire. Dean Cain not only stars in this very powerful movie, but he is a co-producer along with Kevin Sorbo.
The movie begins with a lot of action as firefighters go into a burning building to rescue a little girl. They were successful in locating her, and one firefighter emerges from the building, that is almost engulfed in flames at this point, carrying the little girl in his arms. The crowd that had started to gather began to cheer, and the mother was moved to tears that her daughter was saved from a horrible death.
Sadly, in this movie, another firefighter’s wife is stricken with cancer and passes away. Shortly thereafter, his only child, a daughter, is also diagnosed with cancer. It was a hard movie to watch, as you can imagine. However, the message in this movie is so incredibly powerful and worth putting yourself through the emotional turmoil one is bound to feel when watching a movie like this.
When things of this nature happen, people either turn TO God or turn AWAY from God. It is sad to think of anyone turning away from God when He is the only one that can help them through such a horrible life event. For the non-believers, how do they even have hope to carry on without knowing our Lord and Savior?
Personally, I know someone very close to me that endured a horrifically tragic event in their life, one that resulted in them losing their own daughter. This individual turned away from God because he was mad. He said he asked God to take care of his little girl, but he didn’t mean THIS way. It took a few years before this individual recognized that the only way He would see his beloved daughter again is if he turned back to God, as He gave us all the gift of eternal life through His son, Jesus Christ. This story had somewhat of a happy ending in that this father returned to God and his faith, and He will be reunited in Heaven one sweet day with his daughter.
Sadly, this holiday season, a boating friend of ours just endured the tragic loss of his son. Just as equally horrific was the fact that he took his own life. At only 22 years old, with seemingly having his whole life ahead of him, he chose to end his life. No one knows the emotional turmoil one must feel inside to take such drastic measures. We can only know that their suffering was more than they felt they could handle. The father of this young man has surprised us in that before this tragedy occurred, he wasn’t one to talk about his faith. However, the days following his son’s death, he has spoken of finding peace in the knowledge that he will be reunited with his son one day in Glory. This father is clinging to his faith to see him through one of the hardest times in his life.
THAT is what this movie is all about.
We can surely understand, as much as humanly possible without having endured a loss such as this, both father’s reactions above. The father that grew angry with God for allowing his daughter to pass is no less of a man than the father that was clinging to his faith to get him through losing his son. Both men are justified in their reactions, and it isn’t a sin to be mad at God. He can take it! He knows the heartbreak that this father felt, same as in the movie. Both fathers were hurting right down to the very core of their beings. And in the end, both fathers returned to their faith and to Jesus.
I encourage you to not only watch this movie but pray for those that have lost loved ones. This holiday season is really hard for those facing it without their precious loved ones. Hold them close to your hearts and pray for them at this time. May GOD comfort as only He can!
#FaithUnderFireMIN
Many thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Momentum Influencers in the last 30 days, from the same blog, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.
The Loneliness Solution
“I’m lonely.”
A small slip of paper fell from her bag, and my heart sank as I walked over to pick it up and read those words.
Who among us has NOT ever felt lonely? Chances are that every single reader has experience this at one point in their lives or another.
Sitting alone in your room with your iPhone could be a comfort, but not for long. You were created to be social. Your soul craves this interaction from others around you, and yet when it is limited, that sinking feeling returns.
Loneliness is not just a problem for the elderly after losing their husband or wife. Although I can recall my grandmother speaking of how lonely her house was after my grandfather’s death, it affects the young alike. The young lady’s note is a prime example of this.
Going back to the iPhone reference I made earlier brings me to the subject of social media. It has its place, and at times it is fun to jump on Facebook to see what your friends have been up to. Tik Tok is another app that fills your afternoon with laughter at the antics of others. However, neither one of these social media apps can ever take the place of looking someone in the eye and having a meaningful conversation with them.
We crave this connect with another human being!
With Covid-19, or the Coronavirus, ramping up again, those that already felt isolated working at home feel that there is no end in sight. While there is a vaccine on the horizon, and many are hopeful, there are others that are struggling and losing hope daily due to the loneliness they are feeling inside.
Jack Eason, a resident of South Carolina, provides humor and advice in his book entitled The Loneliness Solution. Not only that, but Jack invites you to enjoy all of the wondrous benefits of doing life together with your brothers and sisters in Christ! The message of his book is grounded in Scripture, and what he shares within the pages of this book is bound to help you!
While it is so easy to become discouraged, don’t lose hope. Once this mess with the Coronavirus is all behind us (and I have faith that it will be soon), you can begin to put into practice a lot of the encouraging advise Jack provides.
Who wouldn’t want a sense of TRUE belonging?!
Want to overcome the obstacles to real community outside of Facebook and other social media?
Then pick up a copy of Jack’s book to equip yourself with the knowledge and re-imagine what real friendship looks like … and more!
Many thanks to Revel Publishers for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.
