Does God Know What’s Going On Down Here?, October 3
By Martha Claire Bennett
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11 ESV).
When I was a little girl, we moved from Canada to Denmark for a year. One of my dad’s favorite stories from this time was when our family attended a local weekend festival. There was a dare-devil motorcyclist with sawed-off mufflers attempting to ride his motorcycle high above the crowd on a tightrope. I was about five years old and had never experienced such a sight! At a pause in the action the deafening noise of the revving engine subsided, and according to Dad, I yelled out into the silent crowd, “DOES GOD KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON DOWN HERE?!” The crowd erupted into laughter.
I found myself asking that same question many times during the journey of my breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, at 46 years old.
Earlier that year, I had made the decision to be baptized—this time as an adult where it was a personal choice and an important step in deepening my faith journey. While in the water, my pastor asked me why I was taking this step. My answer was that I needed to learn about surrender, to relinquish control and trust that God’s design is perfect, even when we don’t understand it.
Shortly following this, without any family history or typical risk factors, I received my diagnosis. What a roller coaster of emotions followed, as I learned to navigate a new language and a thousand decisions, some small and some life-altering, none of them certain or what felt like a great option. Could I surrender to God, relinquish control and trust Him, even with cancer? Would I find God to be in this journey, knowing “what’s going on down here" and working His good plans?
Given my situation, I made the difficult decision to have a single-side mastectomy. At the time, I couldn’t have cared less about the topic of reconstruction; the only thing on my mind was survival. A very practical surgeon calmly talked to me about the pros and cons of reconstruction. She urged me to consider factors like my young age, work, and hobbies, and convinced me that one day I would be thinking about more than mere survival. In the end she convinced me, saying I could always remove the implant if I didn’t like it.
Five years later, I’ve learned to live with the implant and while it doesn’t feel like me, it does serve as a reminder of all I’ve come through—and even the blessings that came along with being on a cancer journey. Blessings cloaked in the kindness of strangers, favorable pathology reports, care-providers who acted like family, communion with fellow survivors, and even an unexpected pandemic, that offered me time to slow down and heal.
“Does God know what’s going on down here?” I very much believe He does, more than ever. And maybe our set-backs are really set-ups—a way of preparing our heart for what’s to come, even when we don’t understand it at the time. And maybe it really is all conspiring for our good, and being woven into the most beautiful mosaic you could ever imagine. The glory be to God.
Pray: Dear God, I surrender it all to You. I put my faith, trust, and confidence in YOU, knowing that You go before me and are preparing a way for my good. When I feel the need to control, I promise to do my best to surrender my life into Your trustworthy hands. Thank You for taking care of me in ways that only You can. Amen.
Your Turn: Think of a time when God has used hardship to teach you a beautiful life lesson. What is something in your life that was hard to understand at the time, but now you know that God knew what He was doing all along?
Martha Claire Bennett, Cancer Survivor
Martha is a wife, sister, daughter, stepmom, dog-mom, and marketing executive who currently works at nVent Electric as the EVP and Chief Marketing Officer. She also serves on the board of directors for Cancer Companions. As a breast cancer survivor, she thanks God every day for the blessing of strength and hope to face the journey and for a long, healthy life in the days ahead.
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
To learn more about our ministry and the services we provide visit our website by clicking here.
