God is Bigger than Carl

This morning I was watching the local news to get the weather forecast for the day. They were giving an update on a story about a local young lady who had been battling cancer. She was taking chemotherapy and had lost her hair. She was encouraged by cards from people all over the country. She was told that she had several tumors around her liver and the biggest one some of her friends and she called Carl. She was told that the doctors couldn't do any surgeries to help. Carl was too big and too close to key points within her. She never gave up her hope that God would see her through this life crisis. She kept believing that she could overcome the cancer. The doctors came back and reported that the tumors were now able to be removed. She had the surgery and the doctors told her she was now cancer free. Her family had a banner made up for her homecoming. The banner read God is bigger than Carl or something to that effect. She is planning to return to college. The thing that spoke most to me was the fact that she counts the cancer as blessing and not a curse. Talk about a great attitude to have in this life.

Her story made me recall the many things that I went through in my life. I never battled cancer but I faced my own "Carls" that came into my life. I had two choices when I was confronted by them. I could become bitter or become better. The results were dependent on what my attitude was. You see as a young man, mother was healed of MS at a faith healing service so I learned that God is still the one in charge no matter what trials I faced. Jesus struggled in the Garden when He was facing his arrest and execution. He knew what it would cost Him. I t wasn't the violent death He would face but it was the separation form His Father when He took the sin of the world upon Himself. He didn't have to but He chose to remain steadfast and carry out salvation's plan. I could have quit time and time again and give up but I knew my heavenly Father would never let me down. Instead He took those circumstances and used them to mold and form me more into His image. This young lady knew the Father and put her trust in His hands as many have over the years. I think of Corrie Ten Boom and her family and what they went through. Imagine in the midst of that death camp, they found blessings in the fleas!

So how about it? Are you facing a crisis in your life? What is your attitude? Have you thanked God for it or gotten angry because of it? Remember that God has promised to "work all things together for our good"!