Hope in The MourningSample

HOPE DEFERRED

As Christians, we declare out loud that God is sovereign, unchanging, good and that He is not a man that He should lie. We believe that God is faithful to fulfill His promises and indeed He is!

But how do you handle situations when God doesn’t fulfill His promise the way you think He should? Have you ever questioned God’s faithfulness after praying for your pet? 

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On Monday my older sister received a phone call that Rustie was gone. On the way to the animal hospital I refused to acknowledge those words. As we sat in the hospital waiting area, I declared scripture in my heart. The vet called us into the examination room and I had to face the truth that Rustie was gone. 

The next day I was angry with God. I prayed so much and faithfully declared God’s promises. I truly believed God would and was supernaturally healing Rustie, and yet Rustie died. I felt God betrayed me and began to question His faithfulness. After struggling alone, I finally told my dad how I was feeling. My dad reminded me of the stories of Hezekiah and Lazarus. He said that even though God gave Hezekiah 15 more years, and even though Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, there was eventually a day that they too passed away, not to be resurrected a second time. He told me that we don’t know how long God will extend a life and assured me that God did hear my prayers for Rustie. 

My dad confessed that God had prepared him for Rustie’s passing that Tuesday night. But on that Tuesday night is when my radical prayers began. And my gracious and faithful God gave us all an extra week with Rustie. The extra time that we had received wasn’t as long as I wanted, but God heard me and gave Rustie an extra week. I felt foolish because I was angry I didn’t get what I wanted the way I wanted. But, in the midst of my mourning I chose to hold on to hope knowing God is faithful. 

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You may not be certain of the extra time God may give you with your pet. As you pray for your pet remember that God is faithful. He may give your pet an extra 15 years or 15 seconds. No matter what God is faithful and good.