Bethany Wake’s life
Did she deserve to die at such a young age?
Reference: Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? (Luke 13:4 NIV)
Explore: I recently heard Bethany Wake’s parents speak on suffering. These are parents who nursed their 15 year old daughter as she endured the final stages of an aggressive brain cancer.
As David, Bethany’s father, spoke he listed some of the many questions that went through his mind at this time.
Why do we have to suffer? Did I not have enough faith? Why doesn’t God cure my incredible daughter? What did we do wrong?
Bethany was an incredible girl. She loved God and spent her spare time raising money for women living in poverty with disabilities after enduring difficult births.
Did she deserve to die at such a young age? No more than any of us.
Do her gracious parents still struggle with her death? It seems to be on a daily basis!
But one thing David said was that there was no doubt this suffering, that the whole family had endured, had brought them and Bethany into a closer relationship with God.
Application: Suffering does not come to those who deserve it most. In fact, it’s often those we consider better than others who are inflicted with some kind of suffering.
We can often slip into bad thoughts when it comes to pain. We question why God brought this upon us and why us and not someone else.
We are all so far from God’s standard that none of us deserve His grace. And yet, He offers it to us anyway.
This doesn’t mean the suffering instantly stops. But it does mean there is a God who loves us and will carry us through.
Prayer: Lord, carry me through my time of suffering. Give me Your peace and Your assurance. Amen.
What suffering are you needing God’s grace for?
This article was written by Linda Bailey
Linda started theological studies in 1999 in Australia. After working for ten years in various church ministries, she now works as the breakfast producer at 89.9 LightFM - the Christian radio station in Melbourne, Australia. She writes blogs every day about passages she is currently reading in the Bible. Follow her on Google Plus +Linda Bailey or Facebook by clicking the like button on the right of this page.