Romans 5: 1-5 NLT
1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.
As we look around our world, it is so easy to become discouraged. Between the stresses and strains that soon turn into anxiety and depression and the hard times that seem to come from nowhere, it’s no wonder that humans try to self-medicate one way or another. There is the general sense of isolation much of society has fallen into as well as the violence that rocks our US cities. These circumstances, and more, work against our very identities. Where can a modern person turn today?
For those of us who have chosen to follow Jesus with all our hearts, seeking His forgiveness and salvation, we are in a very different spot. As Paul wrote in Romans, “. . .since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God . . . “(5:1). This isn’t just the peace of a quiet afternoon sitting in the sun reading a much-enjoyed book; this peace is deep, as much spiritual as it is emotional. With it, Jesus strengthens us to even face the unthinkable.
In December 2023, we got the news that our then 36-year-old son, Geoff, had been diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. Having been through hard times before, I knew exactly where to go—to my knees. Jesus has been so faithful through the ups and downs in my life that I had no doubt that He could heal Geoff on the spot. Looking to my healing Savior, I asked specifically for immediate healing. And the Lord answered even as we talked. He helped me understand that He had Geoff in His arms, but there were lessons that needed to be learned by all involved. It wasn’t exactly the assurance that I wanted, but it was an answer even if the one I wanted was deferred.
As the months went on, the Lord gave me two Scripture verses to hold on to, ironically ones that I had thought were a bit overused. But they took on new meaning in this case: Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11. At that time, I understood them differently than I do now, but they were comforting throughout the process nonetheless. I started texting Geoff a daily verse for his comfort and bolstering, and the Lord inspired us to have a prayer vigil. As the time went on, it seemed like there were victories and then something else would pop up. The cancer began to metastasize. About this time, the Lord challenged me where I would put my trust: in the circumstances, in the doctors’ predictions or in Him. It was a pretty easy choice, but we have been conditioned all our lives to believe what we see in the natural world above all. Yet Jesus helps us rise above this conditioning. As the weeks went on, Geoff, now 38, wasn’t getting any better and finally decided to end the ongoing chemo treatments because they were no longer making any difference. But I knew that I knew Jesus could heal him at any point if He so desired.
Then came the day, as I implored The Lord once more to bring about His healing, the Lord asked me something that stopped me in my tracks. Which would I choose for Geoff, the Lord’s “good will” or His “best will”? I had been here before, and I knew that choosing His good will was not bad, but there would be consequences. What if another person who would potentially come to find Jesus because of Geoff’s death would not be so motivated if he lived? And what if Geoff stayed here and took the job another person was destined to have? And what if he was hounded with the possibility that the cancer could reoccur again in the future? Would that be a burden he could successfully bear? But God’s “best will” meant that my son would be able to join others in our family who had gone on before him to heaven and to see his Savior face-to-face. Revelation is clear about the joys of that life. How could I be angry for God to choose that healing?
So, through this trial He has built my endurance and my strength and my “confident hope of salvation” (Romans 1:5). I know that I will see my son again because Jesus promised that it would be so. Thus, I grieve the loss of my only son, but not as one without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). I believe that all who follow Jesus as Lord and Savior will walk into a blissful eternal life as we leave this existence. My son, Geoff, made Jesus his “forever friend” as a small child, and he never looked back. We even talked about it in his final days in this existence. He loved his Lord.
My favorite Scripture verses, since I was saved as a 14-year-old, have been Philippians 4:6-7: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Truly, it is a very applicable verse for today’s society. We were never meant to carry worry and anxiety; He wants to do so for us. But we need to turn to Him with those worries. Jesus walked with this mom throughout my son’s 22-month ordeal, taking my distress. That allowed me to pray for all our family members as they faced this time, especially Geoff’s wife and children. I do grieve and even get teary-eyed from time-to-time, but I am so grateful for the time I had with my son and for Jesus’ arms around me and my family through this time. This is His grace for each of us. You can find this grace, too, if you seek Him on your knees. He loves each of us so!
Prayer:
Lord God, You are my Savior and the master healer, whether my hurts are physical, mental, or emotional. Life keeps throwing curve balls when I least expect it, and the storms of life keep blowing me off my feet. But you are my secure place, my refuge when the world seems to be turning upside-down. Please help me to remember to turn to You right away as life comes down on me. Thank You that You come along side me when I call, and You speak words of comfort as well as challenge to strengthen me. I don’t want to imagine a life without You. Thank You for saving me and helping me grow in our relationship. You are an awesome God! Amen
