How Are Tracy and Allen Handling Their Situation?
How are Allen & Tracy handling their situation?
“The Lord God is my strength,
And He has made my feet like deer’s feet,
And has me walk on my high places.”
Habakkuk 3:19
Hannah Hurnard wrote an allegory entitled Hinds Feet on High Places about a little crippled girl named Much Afraid who lives in the village of Much-Trembling, and her desire to go to the high places with the Shepherd. The story follows her journey not immediately to the wonderful places where the Shepherd resides, but she first goes through the valley and is assigned the unexpected companions of Sorrow and Suffering. Just as it was confusing to her to continue to limp along and to be plagued by miserable relatives like Craven Fear, Dismal Forebodings and Spiteful, it is also mystifying to us when we accept Christ as our Savior and life seems to get harder rather than easier.
At one point as Much Afraid is gazing at the beautiful high places, the Shepherd is pointing in the opposite direction and commanding her to go, weak as she is, into the valley with her companions. “But”, she says to the Shepherd, “It looks like your deceiving me.” “What if I am?” replies the Shepherd.
Isn’t this the same challenge that Peter is faced with when Jesus asked his disciples if they’re going to leave. Peter replies in John 6, ““Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”
So, Tracy and I are in quite a pickle. Of course, we wonder “WHY?” But we have seen so many of you suffer. Losing spouses, children, suffering with cancer and more. Why should we be exempt? But like Much Afraid and Peter, we know the Lord of life. We trust Him. We know we live in a fallen world and no one escapes the pain of sin in some shape or form. My question is, “God, what good will You bring from this?” “And how can I cooperate?"
And to quote Esther 4:14 when a plot was made to exterminate the Jews, cousin Mordecai says to Esther, “…who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” When I read this I think of the timing of being in Monte Vista and struggling with Tracy’s illness and I wonder what God is up to. What we each experience, how we respond and whether we give God the glory will determine the overall benefit of this journey together.
Finally, to quote a Michael W. Smith song from my youth ministry days:
Pray for me and I'll pray for you
Pray that we will keep the common ground
Won't you pray for me? And I'll pray for you
Bro, after my husband Rob, your brother died someone challenged me to write something called "what if God says NO!" I haven't written it (yet) can you?
ReplyDeleteBTW, John Piper wrote a little booklet called "Don't Waste Your Cancer."
Prayers for you and yours!
I appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. When Neil died and later when I got cancer, I remember thinking the same thing, "Why think I should exempt from sufferings common to man." Didn't make it easier and I know your attitude, while accepting this, it is still painful to go through. You and Tracy are constantly on my mind and in my prayers.
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