You’ve probably had one of those moments in life where all you can say is, “I did not see that coming.”
It’s the kind of news that knocks the wind out of you. One minute everything feels normal, and then a few seconds later, everything feels different.
A friend of mine had one of those moments this week. He went to the doctor because he had some swollen lymph nodes in his neck, and after some testing, the doctor came back with the diagnosis: cancer.
My friend is a healthy guy, so this was a shock to him and to his family. There were a lot of emotions, as you can imagine, and there was also that helpless feeling that comes when something is completely out of your control. His family reached out and asked people to pray, so that's what we started doing.
As I've been praying for him and looking at God’s Word for His promises, I keep coming back to Isaiah 41:10. It says, “So do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
When something happens that we didn't see coming, we usually want to know what happens next. How is this going to be fixed? What will the doctor say? What will the outcome be? How long will this last? Those are the questions we want answered right away.
But what stood out to me is where God starts.
He starts with, “I am with you.”
Before the promise of strength, before the promise of help, before the promise that He will uphold us, God gives the promise of His presence. He does not begin by explaining every detail of what will happen next. He begins by reminding us that we are not alone.
Maybe that is the truth you need today too.