Pastor's Corner: When bad things happen, make your choice

Pastor John Ulrich

Van Orsdel United Methodist Church

When bad things happen, you have choices:

1.You can let it define you.

2. You can let it destroy you.

3. Or you can let it bring you closer to God every day.

February 2013 I was diagnosed with melanoma cancer. I had it surgically removed from my chest. Then I turned it all over to God and proceeded on with my life.

One year later it not only returned, but it had metastasized into the sentinel lymph node under the right arm and the lungs. Again I turned to God as I do every day and I asked the Greater Havre Ministerial Association to anoint me with oil and pray for healing. I also started on two very powerful oral chemo drugs that put the cancer in remission. With all the prayers that were being lifted up for me I knew God's healing presence was active in my body.

In March of 2015 the drugs quit working and after having an MRI Doctors found the cancer had gone into my brain. The tumors were small, but they needed to be treated with radiation. Praise God, this can be done in Havre. Future treatment is being researched, but in the meantime I continue to serve God.

Several people have asked me during this time if I felt God let me down. My immediate response is absolutely not. The other question, I am sometimes asked is why did God allow this to happen to one of his faithful servants? Again I respond that God is not responsible for my cancer. It is understandable to me why people are naturally troubled by the unfair distribution of suffering in the world.

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace to which we stand; and we boost in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boost in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

I have always believed in what is known as the “laws of nature.” This simply means that cancer, auto accidents or hundreds of other things exist in the world and while we make every effort to avoid anyone of them, we may or may not be successful. The “laws of nature” does not always make exceptions for nice people. Nor does God always reach down and interrupt the “laws of nature” to protect his faithful servants. Sometimes God does a miracle and does override “laws of nature,” but since His ways are not our ways and His thoughts not our thoughts; His answer always does what is best but not always our way.

This is why I get up every day and say to myself: “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Regardless of where the path I am currently on leads me, I know that God is always walking with me. I am grateful for God’s grace and for my undying hope. Thus as I trust God, I continue on with a sparkle in my eye, a spring in my step and joy in my heart, I pray I finish strong as Pastor of the Van Orsdel United Methodist Church — this commitment ends July — preaching the WORD — trusting God.