The devotion got me thinking...

I have a friend that posts daily devotions on my Infertility Board. Hope is an amazing Christian with amazing strength. She shared this and it touched me:

Was It Lack of Faith that Caused Him to Die?
(Edited for sake of space)
By Sharon Glasgow

“Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. He also shall be my salvation.” Job 13: 15 (NKJ)

Devotion:
Why is it that some people are healed and some are not? People were healed miraculously in the Bible and others lost their families like Job. We see Stephen in the book of Acts who was actively preaching Christ and was stoned to death. It surely was not lack of faith that caused Stephen to die, nor was God incapable of saving Job’s family. We yearn so desperately for answers to why the horrible things happen, but God doesn’t come down and explain. Could it be sin standing in the way of our prayers? Could it be a lack of faith? Or could it just be God’s will, which we often don’t fully comprehend? We simply won’t always know why certain things have to happen in our life - until the end of time when God wipes the tears from every eye and makes all things new. Then and only then will we know the answers, and fairness will reign. Until that day we must trust in God that He knows best. Have faith that God can heal, and does heal. But trust Him when He doesn’t answer your prayers the way you prayed. I don’t believe lack of faith or sin had anything to do with the loss of Job’s family or Stephen’s life. May Job’s life speak to your heart in that he trusted God even in the midst of his agony and didn’t lose his faith in his mighty God. If you or someone you know is sick or needs a miracle, pray believing that God will work a miracle. I have witnessed the miraculous power of prayer over the sick many times and I know that God can do all things. I also know that you can trust Him no matter what the outcome is.

Dear Lord, Help me to trust you even in the valley of the shadow of death. Lift me up when I am weak and help me to be strong. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related Resources: When You’re Running on Empty by Cindi McMenamin

Application Steps: Take time to write your prayers in a journal. You will be amazed to look back and see how God’s hand was with you all along, even though He didn’t seem to be answering for long periods of time. Write past prayers answered, it will encourage you today. Reflections: Is there someone in your life going through the valley of the shadow of death? How can you walk along side of them and help carry them through this hard time?

Power Verses: Philippians 1:19-20, “For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or death.” (NKJ)

James 5: 13-14, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him will oil in the name of the Lord.” (NKJ)

This devotion really spoke to me. How many times have I questioned God choices for my life and others? I remember a huge one was when Rich lost his job in 2003. Four years later I look back and see God with us and working through that time. I ask myself why God has chosen to lead my husband into an addiction that could ruin our marriage after he took so many years to help us repair our marriage. I ask myself why a mother would drown or hang her children, but God won't give me another one. I beg and plead for the life of an unborn boy that is in organ failure at 24 weeks maturity. His mother could not get pregnant and had IVF at the age of 39. She is now pregnant with twins and has been told that the boy will die and may put her into pre-mature labor with her daughter. Why give her a child, just to take him away before he even takes his first breath?

As I was praying last night for healing for my friends Trish and Becky as they go through their bible study I realized something. At first I asked God that they would be completely healed from all of their past hurts and that they would find answers and hope in this study that they are doing. Then I thought that perhaps "completely healed" was a bit much to ask, so I asked that God would give them the tools that they need to begin to work through some past hurts and begin to move on and repair their hearts and fears. Then I wondered if any of us would ever really be “completely healed.”

The conclusion that I came to last night in the middle of my prayer was that I don’t think that we will find complete healing this side of heaven. I think that there are demons that you will struggle with your whole earthly life. (That gives you so much hope, right?) I think that there are many, many whys that will not ever be answered in this lifetime. I may never know why God has made my life a constant struggle until I see Him face to face and ask Him. That doesn’t give me much comfort, but it does give me understanding. I realize that I may never have all of the answers, but I can only hope and pray that each day brings a little more peace and understanding to each of us in whatever situation we find ourselves in at that time.