Where Is God in the Turmoil of a Life-Threatening Illness?

Why is it that we don’t want to talk about death and dying? For some it is fear of the unknown following death. For others it maybe the fear of pain and possible loss of independence. Some cultures, caring for sick or aging family members is just a part of life. It is expected and planned for. However, modern western families are not usually prepared. Homes are not often designed to accommodate an ill or disabled person; all the adults in the home may have to work leaving no one to care for someone who is ill; or family members might be geographically dispersed.

In the Bible, the concept of family is much more comprehensive than we think of today. The family, or the tribe, consisted of anyone related or accepted in. It was made up of all the known generations. The tribe established laws and norms in order to maintain a cohesive society. God created inheritance and the passing of blessings to help maintain the family structure through the millennia. It was not only the passing of money and possessions but included social status and blessings for a long and prosperous life.

We pass along money and property usually in the form of a will, but our society does not put any real significance into, or build traditions for, the passing of blessings. We have a poor social memory of the family experience of a life-threatening illness.

Gradually, over many decades, western society has forgotten how to cope with issues related to death and dying. Aware of this, the authors, Karen Haren and Sue Frymark, created Wilderness Journey Ministries to help individuals and families cope with the spiritual, emotional, and practical difficulties of living with a life-threatening illness.

Karen had lost several family members including her first husband who died of leukemia leaving her with three young children. She later found faith in Jesus Christ. In 2003, Karen was deeply affected by the death of her father, as she observed the beautiful interactions of her family. A close-knit family, Karen’s father was surrounded by his children, grandchildren, and his wife during the last days and hours of his life. Karen was extremely moved by what she saw as the hand of God orchestrating the events. The distance she felt towards her father since her adolescence melted away. She started looking at life in a new light—that God uses the end-of-life for very important purposes.

Sue, a life-long Christian, spend over 30 years as a nurse focusing on cancer patients and their families. She often wished she could share the hope she had in Jesus Christ, but workplace evangelizing was not allowed unless the person being served raised the topic. Sue could see the peace in those depending on their faith in Jesus Christ. Through her own mother’s story, she saw this as well. She saw how her mother’s preparation for her death allowed the family to more freely grieve knowing her end of life decisions had been made. Years later her family still talks about their mother’s beautiful death. In 2015, Sue was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness for which there is no cure. She now has a special understanding for those also traveling this difficult path.

Karen and Sue named the ministry Wilderness Journey because, like the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, people can feel lost without a clear path when they are going through this kind of experience. Not only is there a need for support, there is a need for spiritual comforting. In their anguish, people often want to know, where is God in this turmoil? He is in the middle of the storm, knocking at the door, waiting for us to open our hearts to him. He comes to us in His word and in those surrounding us waiting to help us. People need to hear the Christian message when they need it most--when they are facing death.