During the Mash Strength Spectacular we concluded the competitions with a free “Mentorship” activity. Basically we set outside under the lights, and a panel of special guests answered any and all questions from the athletes and visitors that chose to stay. The event was in honor of my late friend Chris Moore as we talked about doing this together. We didn’t have Chris with us of course, but we did have his wife Jani Moore. It was an honor to sit by her and answer all the questions from the audience about programming, fitness, stretching, life, business, and faith.
One question was asked via email the next day. I am not going to mention this young man’s name,
as I am not sure that he wants me to, but the question really hit home. He had watched the episode of Barbell
Shrugged where I talked about my wife being diagnosed with cancer two days
before our wedding. On the show I
explained how I would lay beside her every night begging God to heal her. See my wife is the only woman that has ever
gained my love. I am not quite sure what
God did to me, but my heart belongs to Emily Drew Mash. I couldn’t accept that God might take this
angel from my arms.
That doesn’t mean that God was under any pressure to heal
her. He does what He wants. Yes He loves us, and yes He does all things
for our good: Romans 8:28 And
we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love
God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
I believe this with all my heart. That doesn’t mean that His idea of good is
the same as ours, but you can guarantee that His version is exactly what we
need. My wife used to send tingles down
my spine, when she would talk about her confidence in God’s healing powers. She was convinced that God was going to heal
her either on the earth or in heaven, and she didn’t care which. The verse that kept her going was: Malachi 4:2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of
righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and
skip about like calves from the stall.
His question was that his mother that had raised him as a
single mom with no family around had been diagnosed with cancer a few years
ago. He too prayed every night that she
would be healed, but she wasn’t. She did
live three years when they had given her only four months to live. However she wasn’t healed. He asked me if God did that. So here is my best answer.
God is sovereign over every thing, so in one way or another
he is responsible for everything. He is
either causing it or allowing it to happen.
However this is a fallen world full of sin, evil and corruption, and
that’s our fault not his. He has never
promised that we were going to be happy on this earth. We are to be content because of what He has
already done for us, but that doesn’t mean that life is lollipops and
gumdrops. It’s not.
So does that make God mean in the case of your mother? No not at all. If your mother believed in Him, then she is
loving life right now. She wouldn’t come
back to visit even if she could because she is in the presence of our
Creator. What more does one want? Then there is the thing that is happening
with you. Number one her sickness caused
you to pray every night. That means you
were brought closer to God for that time, and now you are pondering this
question, which is also causing you to ponder God. Instead of focusing on just the death of your
mother, you might want to think about everything that is going on.
Some of the things that happen in life will never be able to
be explained by us. We just have to
trust that God is working it out for the people that have faith in Him. Let’s look at Houston. I mean that was a tragedy that has killed 60
people so far, and the aftermath is going to kill more people with
contaminants. However how many people
have turned to God because of this tragedy?
How many people in the country forgot about the ignorant racists in the
country, and instead focused their attention on helping one another regardless
of race or ethnicity. How much love will
be spread as they rebuild over the next few months.
When you ask God for something, you simply have to let it go
and trust that He will give you exactly what you need as long as your faith is
in Him. This is pretty deep, and I am
sure that several of you want get this, but you believers out there will know
exactly what I am talking about. I hope
this helps.
