Some people experience such immense difficulties and hardship that they are left reeling.
It can be a sudden tragedy, the death of a loved one, a crippling accident, an illness, family problems. The list goes on.
Some things are so devastating they defy explanation. There seems no rhyme or reason to them.
How is a person faced with such things to survive mentally and emotionally?
Here is the account of one young woman’s struggle with cancer.
Lori was a young person full of life and energy. One evening when she was on a date with the young man she planned to marry, she was struck with severe pain.
He drove her straight to the ER of the local hospital. She would not leave until an operation revealed that cancer had gripped her body.
Five months later, after she had suffered intensely in her battle with the disease that was ending her life, Lori was able to attend a large convention of young people in Holland, Michigan.
She spoke to the young people about the time when the disease was discovered.
“It was Thursday morning when the doctor told me the outcome of my surgery and that I had cancer,” she said. “Tears came from his eyes. He had a daughter who was my age – and it really hit him hard. He was a neat guy – he was a Christian.
“But tears didn’t come to my eyes – because so many people were praying for me. God was holding me in His almighty arms and He was just comforting me. He was so strong. He built me up and He made me strong and He helped me through all those terrible days.”
Theme’s example
Lori was a living example of the theme of that youth convention – “Anchored in Christ.” The young people listened intently and deeply moved as she described her chemotherapy.
“They put this tube in my arm here – it goes all the way down to my stomach,” she said. “They gave me my medicine through that – for eight and a half days straight, it made me really sick. And then I had other complications. I got an infection. I was unable to eat, and I was hooked up to other tubes.
“But God was with me. He didn’t leave me. I remembered John chapter 14, verse 18 that said, ‘I will not leave you comfortless, but I will come to you.’ Christ gave me that anchorage that they are talking about at this convention. I had found it in Him and I just had to tell my nurses and friends why I could accept my illness. It was God’s grace.”
Lori died on Dec.17, 1980 full of faith and love – anchored in Christ.
If the litmus test of our faith is how we deal with trials that defy explanation, Lori met and passed the test with glorious confidence in God’s care and love.
Lorne Moorhead is a retired pastor living in Flin Flon.
