Difficult Times

Difficult Times "Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants!" Daniel 3:28 I spent over 45 years in health care, and personally witnessed the diseases that took the life of so many of my friends and co-workers. However, since I retired it seems that more and more people are being diagnosed with debilitating or life-threatening illnesses. In the last year, I’ve had close friends diagnosed with breast cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, prostate cancer, serious heart attacks and strokes. Some have survived extreme medical treatments and are recovering; some are still battling for their lives; however some have been healed. Most of these friends struggle to keep their families intact and their lives balanced. They strive to maintain dignity and hope in circumstances that try to rob them of both. Many of them write to me asking me to pray for them, and many ask this question, "Why is this happening to me? It is sometimes difficult to find the right words to tell them, as God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His Word tells us that His plans give us a hope and a future. Sometimes we are not able to control our circumstances or our future. We know that this world and its troubles are only temporary for us, but we also know that an eternal home in Heaven is waiting for those that trust and have faith in God. We know that nothing will happen to us that God won’t give us grace to walk through. We know that when we are too tired to go on, He will personally carry us with tender strength. O God, we know that You are able to save us and rescue us. We are asking You to heal us for Your glory. But even if You don’t we will serve You and You alone. As we walk through this fire, conform us to You. Strengthen our bodies and our spirits and stay close to us in the darkness. Robert W. Brock My Daily Devotional Volume Seven September 13