Is God Good?
You would think that that’s an obvious answer at least if you’ve grown up in the church like I have. We’re told “God is good all the the time, all the time God is good.” I’ve said it many times, but one day in the Philippines we were asked that question and I had to stop and think about it. I thought about about my family and what they’ve had to suffer through.
Right before coming on the race, my mom was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer for the second time. Cancer runs in my family. We had just lost my 30 yr old single cousin, Anna, to the battle which left her beautiful little toddler, Grace, behind. My grandfather, grandmother, and father had suffered through radiation. I almost didn’t go on the race, but I knew it was what God wanted.
It was hard…really hard. I felt guilty. My mother is a strong woman and sacrifices everything for me and I was leaving her during one of the hardest times in her life. Was I being selfish? Was I a bad daughter? Some people thought I should stay home with mom, but I knew God was calling me. My mom is one of the humblest, selfless, generous people in the world and gave me her blessing to leave.
Praise God I did because it is one of the best choices I’ve ever made. This taught me that no matter what, I have to leave everything and take up my cross to follow Jesus whereever and whenever God chooses. My life is not my own.
Matthew 10:37-39 (Jesus speaking)
“Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me in not worthy of me, and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
The Cost of Following Jesus
Matthew 8:20-22
Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
God doesn’t call us when it’s convient for us. My prayer is for God to inconvenience me and to interrupt my life.
In the Bible, God interrupted Joseph’s life. Joseph was the favorite son and probably live a simple life, but God had chosen him to great things. His brothers almost killed him, they sold him into slavery, he was accused of attempted rape, thrown in jail, but God was with him and had a plan. Joeseph didn’t know the entire plan, but he knew God was using him. In the end, Joseph was second to Pharoah and saved all of Egypt from starvation. It was a testimony of God’s powerand love. It helps me remember even though I don’t see God’s plan in full detail He is with me one step at a time. If I’m in step with Him there won’t ever be a step I take in the future where He is not with me.
(Preface: Some introverts don’t agree, but this is a generalization. If you know me I don’t like Ohio very much and I absolutely love going abroad)
I’ve read that people are more likely to do something if it’s in a group even if it’s not as good as the thing they could do by themselves. I would rather go on a road trip in Ohio with my friends before I would travel abroad by myself. But sometimes God calls us to things that are scary by ourselves and we have to choose if we would rather do God’s will by ourselves or do our will with people we love.
*********Mom went to the Dr. and I just found out she is in REMISSION PRAISE GOD! Some people may say well the doctors cured her and I believe it, but I also believe that God healed her and gave the doctors medicine and knowledge. God helped her body fight the cancer and she is victorious! I’m so thankful for what God has done and through her suffering God has transformed my heart and I’ve grown so much. He uses hard things to teach us and draw us near Him, not because He is a mean God, but because we are stubborn and sometimes we won’t listen until we are on our knews. Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom to humble ourselves before God.
