"I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you."

 

I saw this woman about five rows in front of me at a religious event a month or so ago. For some reason, she just stood out to me. I noticed she had very little hair and seemed pretty secure in herself. She had a few kids that were sitting with her.

As I looked at her, I had this picture of her being terminally ill with cancer – back and forth out of the hospital. I thought about what her life must be like if this was the case – knowing it is going to end. I thought about her kids and how painful it must be for them. I had this sense of a resolve and surrender as she told God in her heart, “whatever life I have to live I am going to live loving and glorifying You.”

Tears began to well up in my eyes and the thought of the incredible courage and faith this woman would had to have in this situation. I had this picture of these kids getting a glimpse of her faith and devotion. I thought of the scripture command to love God with all your heart, soul and strength and how beautifully she was doing this (in my picture).

At this event, they asked that anyone who has a need for healing stand up. What I noticed was this woman did not stand up. She seemed to sit there quite content and at peace with what she was doing. Shortly after, she visited with a few friends and left.

I longed to go up and ask her if she had cancer and if she answered yes to ask her to pray for me to love God a little more like I thought she did. But it felt selfish so I just prayed and watched her from a distance. Ironically, after she left, the message at this religious event was about loving God with your whole heart.

Loving God with our whole hearts sometimes takes courage. It does not mean that everything in our lives will go well because we love God. It does not mean that we will prosper or be given what we want or succeed. Sometimes it is even our faithfulness to God that brings more difficulty into our lives.

David is someone who knew difficulty. He was promised to be a king but instead found himself running for his life and hiding in caves. His discouragement did not lead him to become bitter or turn against God. Rather, He turned to God and relied upon Him to get through the difficulty.

Joseph was another one who had tremendous difficulties in his faithfulness to God. He was sold into slavery by his very own brothers. And if that wasn't enough, after serving as a slave with the best of his abilities, he was thrown in prison for his refusal to compromise and sleep with his master's wife. His slave career ended disastrously with a single accusation against him. Yet God brought him through, put him back in a position of authority, and then used him to spare the very brothers who persecuted him.

Paul learned to rely upon God in difficulty. His zealousness for God continually got him into trouble, thrown in prison, accused and stoned. Yet he did not waiver in his belief or grow bitter, but kept looking to God in his difficulties to get him through it.

In Philippians 4:12-13 Paul writes, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Elijah was another one who loved God wholeheartedly. In his zealousness, he turned the multitude back to God. Then he killed all the Jezebel's false prophets with a sword and she was so enraged, she threatened his life. As a result, he reeled in fear and discouragement. He ran for his life and prayed he might die.

Elijah's emotions reeled, yet he continued to look only to God for his answers. Jesus once asked his disciples if they would turn away from Him too as the crowds were leaving.  He said to Jesus, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life."  Like Peter, Elijah knew God was the only place to turn for his answers.  As he did, God steadied him and instructed him on what he still needed to accomplish.

In all these situations, God in His goodness was not working out what was most prosperous for the persons He loved and cared for – rather He was working out His kingdom plan and inviting them into it. I'm reminded of some words of Saint Therese of Lisieux, “If this is the way You treat Your friends, no wonder You have so few!”

The truth is that there is no better friend than Jesus. Through every trial and difficulty, we have all we need in Him. As each one of these saints pressed into Him and His plan, they could forget about themselves and their own difficulties. And as they did, His glory shined through.

Lord, I long to be more like Isaiah who when asked, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? Proclaimed with zealousness, “Here am I. Send me!” He wasn't negotiating the best deal for himself or only going if he received a comfortable life, rather he took whatever circumstances befell him in order to proclaim Your goodness and kingdom to those around him. Give us the courage to love You well in all situations and circumstances.