Randy Alcorn

Pendant plus de quatre années au cours desquelles mon épouse bien-aimée Nanci a lutté contre le cancer, nous avons eu des nouveaux tantôts encourageants, tantôt décourageantes. Tout au long de ses trois interventions chirurgicales, de ses trois séries de radiothérapie et de ses trois cycles de chimiothérapie, nos émotions ont oscillé de manière constante. Je me souviens comme si c’était hier du jour où le médecin a diagnostiqué un cancer de stade IV, métastasé aux poumons. Ce soir-là, nous avons prié ensemble, puis je suis descendu, je me suis agenouillé près du canapé, j’ai enfoui mon visage dans mes mains et j’ai pleuré. J’ai ouvert mon cœur à Dieu, le suppliant d’intervenir. J’ai fait ce que 1 Pierre 5:7 nous dit de faire : « Déchargez-vous sur lui de tous vos soucis, car lui-même prend soin de vous » (LSG).

بیش از چهار سال، همسر عزیزم، نانسی، با سرطان مواجه بود، گزارش‌های زیاد و بدی دریافت می‌شد. در تمام طول سه جراحی، سه دوره پرتودرمانی، و سه دوره شیمی‌درمانی او، از نظر عاطفی شرایط بی‌ثباتی داشتیم. به‌وضوح روزی را که دکتر گفت سرطان مرحلۀ چهارم است و به ریه‌هایش انتشار یافته، به یاد می‌آورم. آن شب ما باهم دعا کردیم، و سپس من به طبقۀ پایین رفتم، کنار مبل زانو زدم، صورتم را با دستانم پوشاندم، و گریستم. قلبم را در حضور خدا باز کردم، و به او التماس کردم که مداخله کند. من آنچه را که اول پطرس 7:5 به ما می‌گوید، انجام دادم: «همۀ نگرانیهای خود را به او بسپارید زیرا او به فکر شماست» (ترجمۀ هزارۀ نو).

Author and philosopher Doug Groothuis writes, “Don’t ask physicists about theology. Don't ask psychologists about history. Don't ask (at least one) New Testament scholars about abortion; that is, don’t ask N. T. Wright, who is dead wrong on the ethics of abortion as his recent podcast revealed.”

O femeie care a mers să facă avort a relatat următoarea conversație avută cu consiliera de la clinica pentru avort: „Cum arată un fetus la trei luni?” „Ca un ghem de celule”, a venit răspunsul pe un ton cât se poate de natural. Mai târziu, aceeași femeie a văzut imagini cu etapele dezvoltării intrauterine a fătului. Ea a spus: „Când am văzut că, la trei luni, «un ghem de celule» avea degete la mâini și la picioare și că era un bebeluș perfect format, am devenit de-a dreptul isterică. Fusesem mințită și înșelată. Sunt convinsă că mii de alte femei sunt la fel de puțin informate și de prost servite.”

As God demonstrated in giving Paul his thorn in the flesh, He sometimes has better things in mind than our health.

What follows is an edited version of an email I sent to a friend who faced a heartbreaking situation involving a family member. I’m sharing it because it can apply to any faithful, godly person dealing with tragic events caused by a child’s, spouse’s, or parent’s bad choices.

Though all of us, if asked, might say that we don’t have any more right to a perfect and pain-free life than the next person, in our own hearts and minds, we tend to believe that we do. So, when forced to suffer, even mature believers can feel driven to question God’s motives.

We must become connected to the One who alone gives not only deliverance from sin, but meaning and purpose and personal relationship. This is what the Bible calls reconciliation.

As we befriend and spend time with unbelievers, we must carefully evaluate and ask ourselves: am I influencing them, or being influenced myself? Scripture tells us, “Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity” (Colossians 4:5, NLT).