Don’t blame yourself for what happened; your mother didn’t suffer and die because you didn’t have enough faith. Instead, God graciously took her to her heavenly home — and that should give you great joy, in spite of your grief.

God certainly wants us to pray when loved ones face a health crisis — and we should pray in faith, believing that God is able to bring healing. And He is, because He is all-powerful, and He is able to act in ways that are far beyond our understanding. (Remember, too, that He can use medicines and doctors and nurses to bring healing; after all, He gave them their abilities.)

But the Bible also tells us that we live in a fallen, sin-ravaged world — and eventually we all will die. When we know Christ, however, we need not fear death, for ahead of us is heaven because of what Jesus Christ did for us. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Is your hope in Him?

Although it may be hard for you to accept, in reality your prayers were answered and your mother was healed, for she is now in heaven. Her cancer is gone, and so is every suffering she endured on earth. Take time to thank God for what your mother meant to you, but thank God too that she is now in heaven, and that one day you’ll see her again.