11-16-2024
Pretty much, exactly one week ago this moment, we entered into the deepest part of our trial. As we contemplated things, some of the events of Jesus’ last days seemed to be reminders of how to walk through dark times. The most predominant statement that spoke to me was Jesus saying, in my words, “Please, Father, if there be any other way, please let me be allowed to take it!” It’s not wrong to struggle with hardship. It’s not wrong to grieve with anguish of soul over the path that is set before you. Jesus, so burdened by the weight of His impending tribulation, began sweating “great drops of blood”. If our burden seems unbearable. If it seems like there is no way that we can possibly survive. If your heart, as mine, seems to have difficulty sustaining life, and your stomach seems so tied up in knots that it makes breathing difficult, then you are in good company. The feelings and emotions of difficult times, that drop us to our knees in tears, were faced by our Savior. It was at this point that He asked for an alternative to the path that He knew lay before Him. As we went though this trial, beginning it’s “Gethsemane like” phase a week ago, we too desperately asked for there to be some other way. We asked, from the depths of our soul, “Please Lord, if there is some other way!” We prayed fervently for a miracle all the way up to the end, when God’s plan in this was completely carried out and Hannah’s life was finished.
In the Bible, in Hebrews 11, there are names of great “people of faith”, and often the chapter is called the “faith chapter”. The chapter begins by telling us that faith is like the intangible, reality of that which we hope for, but also, it becomes the evidence of things that we cannot see. So how is the invisible seen? Yes, it is by what we call faith, but how do we examine it or quantify it? We apparently do it by seeing it demonstrated in the lives of others. After this one “preface” verse, the rest of the chapter is made up of examples of what it looked like in the lives of many “great men”. There are a host of examples in this chapter, and there are two things that really are truly shocking and that defy human logic. The first is that the outcome was irrelevant. Some had faith and saw, what we would call, “great success”, while other literally died! How can that seeming inconsistency lead to both results, in opposite extremes, each and both pointing to the proof and “fleshing out” of this thing we call faith? I guess, it is the second observation that answers that. Although we live in a results driven world, it was not the results, as we perceive them, that mattered. It all boiled down to one key thing, action. Each of those who choose to live by faith must take action and leave the results to God. So, as Jesus ended His prayer in the garden, ours had to follow His pattern, “Not my will, but Yours be done”. A person of faith must act and leave the result to God.
So, I guess the question I was faced with was, “who is in control”. Clearly, I wasn’t or else none of this would have happened. If not me, or anyone else on earth for that matter, then it must be God, and if He has a purpose and plan, then I wanted to be a part of it. I made my desires clearly known but surrendered myself to accept whatever He had planned. Although this is difficult to do, it is the only way.
In preparation for these events, The Lord allowed us to consider another unique differentiation between words that seem almost synonymous. Happiness and joy, at face value, both seem to be two different ways of saying the same thing. After contemplating these, however, I think we see that, perhaps, there is a very significant difference. As it pertains to my heart and understanding, happiness refers to the way in which I “feel”. It is a word describing emotion, and it can even be evidenced by outward expressions of things like, smiling and laughter. The extremes of emotion are, perhaps, more easily witnessed in young children. When they are tired, they cry as if all hope is lost, but a sucker or a toy can flip that into immediate happiness. Joy, however, is more tied to the heart rather than the circumstance. It is something that brings peace and contentment. As happiness waxes and wanes with emotion, joy provides strength, even through tears. It’s a gift of God, and can only be achieved by living by faith, which means let God be in control then act accordingly. Happiness will come and go, like the seasons, but the joy of the Lord, that will give you strength!
So here I am today. I can clearly say that God has given me both His strength and joy, even through the deepest of sadness. But I ask myself, even now, “where is all this going?” This whirlwind of a journey that He has put us on, “where do we go from here?” This Facebook page began merely as a way of communicating information to friends and family, but now, after the funeral is over, “where is all this going and what do I do now?” Although, the future paths of the Lord are not visible to me, as of now, I do see through the texts, phone calls, and Facebook messages, that, right now, helping other people through Hannah’s story seems to be what I am meant to do. Maybe in a few weeks, this all will end, and life will move in a different direction, but as of now, “I must be about my Father’s business” (Jesus, age 12)
If many of these posts do not make sense to someone, the question is asked, “How can I have these things in my own life?” The answer is surprisingly simple (I like simple). Although there can be an endless amount of study done into the depths of the “when’s, where’s, and why’s”, the Bible in its simplicity shows us that, although, we are all born sinners and our sinful nature keeps us from God, YET because He loves us, He sent His only Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life and yet to be crucified, and to take upon Himself the “sins of the world”. The Bible makes it clear that God desires all to come to repentance of their sins and to accept Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross on their behalf. This can only, yet simply be done by faith, which means it requires action. If you find yourself at a point where you are ready to let God be in control, you can pray simple words such as these. “Dear God, I know that I am a sinner. I believe that you sent your Son to die on behalf of my sins. Right now, I want to turn from that life of sin and live the life you offer to me. Please come into my heart and save me”. The Bible says that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord, in honest, humble faith will be saved, and He will not, for any reason, cast them out. If you want strength to endure trial, you need to begin with your personal relationship with God.
We are blessed.
Hannah Helps 