And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:28‭-‬31 NIVUK

Everything was going so well.  The last chemo was over. I was recovering.  The last scan had shown the cancer had reduced down to virtually nothing.  Just one more scan would surely give me the all-clear and I could proudly join the ranks of cancer survivors.

The call came through and I knew instinctively that something wasn’t right.  The cancer had returned!  All the plans we were starting to make, the normality that was returning to our lives, all stopped with one call.  We were gutted!  All the tears anger and frustration returned, along with the realisation that we would be living with this for a long time.  Even if there was all clear in the future, we would now never be sure it couldn’t return.

Disappointments are of course part of life.  The inevitable questions follow: Why? Why me? Why is this happening to us?
But perhaps, these questions should also apply: Why not me?  Why shouldn’t this be happening to us?
The truth is no one is exempt from disappointment and bad news. We want to understand why, but we don’t always get to.

I’ve been a Christian for over 30 years but this was still a big challenge to my faith.

Such disappointments and set-backs can really knock our faith and question God’s judgement. More importantly they can rob us of joy, diminish our hope and dilute our faith. This can result in feeling down and sad, lowering our expectations and losing trust in God.

Looking at the verses above from Romans, there are three things that I think are important to remember when our faith is shaken in this way:

God’s in Control
We have been called according to his purpose. 
He instigated it. 
He wanted us. 
He is in control.
Also, for those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son
From the beginning God knew us and chose us.
We are no accident!
Whatever we’re going through is not a surprise to him.
All we have to do is choose to follow and to submit our lives to his.

God has a plan for us
And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
We’re not called to merely make up the numbers. God has things specifically for us.  Perhaps things no-one else can do.
It’s hard to see how these plans can unfold when you’re laid low and seemingly unable to do very much.  What I’m realising is that God doesn’t waste these experiences.  He uses them to work in me, in ways I don’t understand and for a purpose I don’t yet know.  But I can have confidence that it is God guiding me and preparing the path ahead:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5‭-‬6 NIVUK

God is good
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him
This is sometimes a tough one to understand.  It’s difficult to see God’s goodness when we face hard times. 
There can feel there is a gap between what we do understand and the goodness of God that can seem so distant.  While this is often wrapped up in mystery, the gap can be filled with faith.

This is not a blind faith however.  It’s based on God’s promises, truths and experiences.
Hebrews 11:1 describes faith as confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. I have confidence that God has been faithful to me up to this point and even though I can’t see it how this is working out, I have assurance that he is with me and will complete his work in me.

I mean, why would he abandon me now?  Why would he stop being good, if he’s been good up to now? To paraphrase the song “he didn’t lead me this far to leave me”
Surely God is always good.  Anything else would be a contradiction.  Anything else would undermine my faith completely.

So, I choose to keep the faith.  Knowing God has always been faithful to me.  He will see me through this season and beyond whatever that looks like. 
If God is for me, who can be against me?