Seasons of Life
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13, ESV
I was praying for a sister whose husband was dying. My heart was so heavy. I went from scripture to scripture, praying the Word for his healing. In the midst of prayer, I landed on John 11:40, where Jesus asked Martha, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” This was when Lazarus, Martha’s brother, had died, and Jesus told them to roll the stone away from his tomb before raising Lazarus from the dead.
While meditating on that scripture, the story of Jacob came to mind. God had given Joseph, Jacob’s son, a dream, revealing that his brothers would bow down to him. Later, Joseph had another dream, and he told it to his brothers, saying, “Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.” When he told the dream to his father and brothers, his father rebuked him, asking, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?” His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind. (Genesis 37:9-11, ESV).
As I continued praying, God brought to mind the image of Jacob mourning for Joseph, believing he had been killed by a wild animal. His sons had dipped Joseph's robe in blood and brought it to Jacob, saying, “This we have found; please identify whether it is your son's robe or not.” Jacob identified it and said, “It is my son's robe. A fierce animal has devoured him. Joseph is without a doubt torn to pieces.” Then Jacob tore his garments, put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son many days. Though all his sons and daughters tried to comfort him, he refused to be consoled, saying, “No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.” Thus, his father wept for him. (Genesis 37:32-35)
Many times, when we are in desperate situations, it’s hard to believe that what God has said will come to pass. Martha’s brother had died, and even though Jesus stood right next to her, she could only see the situation in front of her. Similarly, God had sent a message to Jacob through Joseph about what would happen in the future, but because of his immediate grief, Jacob couldn’t see beyond the present.
When we received the news that my dad had bone marrow cancer, we were all saddened and immediately went into prayer. The very next day, my sister took my mom to a restaurant, and while they were in line, a woman approached my mom and offered to pray for her. They agreed, and during the prayer, the woman said, “Your husband is healed of cancer!” We cannot lose hope, no matter the situation. A few days later, my friend’s husband passed away. It wasn’t the news I had prayed for, but I knew deep in my soul that God had healed him. He was a believer, and scripture says that God takes away all sickness and disease. I was reminded that God’s thoughts and ways are far beyond my understanding, and I may not comprehend his purpose. But as a believer, I know he is caring for my friend, comforting her in her grief. He has surrounded her with love and support. Though she may never understand why God took her husband home, she can rely on him to carry her through this season and move forward into all he has planned for her.
Key points:
Do not lean on your own understanding.
God’s ways and thoughts are never like ours.
Trust in the Lord, He is our comforter.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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