Praying as a ship, not a victim
By Keri Eichberger
Bible Reading:
You trust in the Lord with all your heart, and you don’t understand it in your own understanding. – Proverb 3:5
“Mike and I had the privilege of sitting by Mark in the hospital before he passed away, sharing real conversations and raw prayers. And through tears, Mark expressed his infinite gratitude to his precious wife, as well as reflecting his confidence from the moment of his diagnosis that he was not a victim, but also wanted him to be used.”
Those were my opening words in a Facebook post I wrote to honor Mark’s life just two days after seeing Jesus’ face. His wife, Allison, is one of my beloved longtime friends. But the truth is, I also called Mark “friend.” He fought staged colon cancer for two years, and certainly he fought the battle with God all the time. His greatest goal was to praise God. And he has ever been – incredible. Mark would not have insisted that he had a perfect life, as no one should have done, but he pointed out and pursued the perfect thing. Simply put, he loved God and others. He was committed to growing up, and even when he was suffering, he was the kind of man who thought of others in front of himself. The man who spent time praying to me during his father’s health and horrifying seasons endured chemotherapy treatments, received radiation, dealing with difficult scan results, navigating post-appointment appointments, and fearing fears about his wife and young children. But he leaned hard on the main and didn’t hide it.
I don’t know what you’re doing in your life. But have you ever fallen into a hole in the valley, have you felt a bit sad about yourself, and at some point why am I, God? Perhaps there is something that leaves you with those questions and feelings for you right now. If so, I hope you, like me, may turn to Mark’s model as an inspiration for how to use pain for purposes. As a demonstration of how to lean on God and his understanding. How God prepares us all in this life and makes it difficult for us to use it to direct others to our faithful God of Good. How to remind others that he is the source of our strength. That he is the only person we can rely on. That he is our eternal hope. And no matter what outcomes become our situation, God will stay with us all through it and they can be used for very good.
It was only ten days before Mark passed as my husband and I had the blessed encounter at his hospital bedside to receive the words of Mark’s witnesses at the end. Even on his dying day he insisted that he had never questioned God with confidence. From the beginning, he reminded me that God wanted him to use. And that’s exactly what God did.
My post continued. “I looked at the most difficult moments of life and showed someone to hold firm. Mark realized that life is difficult and death is guaranteed for everyone, but it is faith in the Lord that awaits the heavenly house.
My friend Mark spent the last two years of his life modelling what it would look like to trust God in your heart and live without bringing to your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5, poems of his life after diagnosis.) Not only did he want to use his story, he also became a powerful ship of divine strength, peace and power, a great great vessel, and an inspiration for his wife to trust in God. I also want to hear his hard but beautiful story as part of Mark’s legacy. A living story of pain that is now used for God’s good purposes.
Many of these passes have gained a big perspective as Mark fought against the unimaginable. He showed us what it looks like to live truly intentionally. And I hope he will give you a new perspective and hope for you today. If someone less qualified than you or me can endure something very difficult with such faith and perseverance, we can barely imagine it – we believe we can face the day with confidence, grace and faith in the coming good. Why don’t you ask, why? The truth is, we will never be sure until we meet Jesus. But we can be sure our struggle will never be in vain. Because our suffering is what we do in return to serve and bless us with others. If you choose to become a vessel rather than a victim. If we choose to lean on God, let him fill us and let him use a good story full of us and our purpose.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father, you are someone I can hold firmly. Someone who can hold me and lift me up from all the valleys. And I am grateful that you can use all my pain for your good purpose. No matter what I’m going through, any painful path, or whatever I walk tomorrow, can come from everything in my life. Help us find peace and comfort in it. Help me find great joy in it today. I praise you for being so blessed to constantly pour out your goodness. I praise myself for being blessed with wealth, as I will be a ship that blesses others. With your omnipotent name, Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Tanes Ngamsom
Keri Eichberger is a Kentucky girl who loves Jesus. She is married to her best friend Mike and has a full house with five children. After writing for years of online audiences, Keri was ordained through the Southeast Christian Church, bringing full-time ministry to life. She is the author who soars with those who conquered and overcome Win Over Forse: Conquer what You, and is passionate about sharing faith-filled encouragement through prayer writing. Connect with Keri on Keriechberger.com or on Instagram.
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