Cancer Was a Gift
Anonymous
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” ~Isaiah 26:3 ()
My Story
No one wants that call from the doctor: “You have cancer.” It is a life-changing instant. Immediately your mind considers questions you never wanted to ponder. Can I fight this? How will this affect my family? What if I die? And a million others come to mind. However, it is also an opportunity to truly test your faith and trust in God.
The hint of the gift: From the moment of my abnormal mammogram to the call from the doctor with the results of my biopsy, I was surrounded by a supernatural peace. I remember being in the elevator of the cancer center after my biopsy and considering, “I might be coming here for treatments,” and I wasn’t afraid. God was with me.
The beginning of the gift: After others knew my diagnosis, the love and support began pouring in. I received phone calls from people I hadn’t seen in a long time who wanted to encourage me and express their love. I got cards in the mail from people who were praying for me from far away. The best part was hearing from people who had walked the dark road of cancer and knew what I was going through. 2 Corinthians 1:9 reminded me, “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves, but on God, who raises the dead.”
How I Got Through It
A friend gave me a devotional book, which had nice short stories and thoughts that related to what I was going through and was easy to pick up, read a short quip, and refocus my mind. Every time I read the book, I was reminded of the hope I have. Repeating God’s promises helped me to remember them. I also wrote out some of His promises in a journal. Remembering and writing down God’s promises gave me hope. Hope is faith for the future.
The true gift: During my cancer journey, life seemed to stand still. Everything revolved around doctor appointments, tests and treatment. There were many dark days of recovering from surgery and feeling the affects of chemotherapy when it was difficult to want to go on. I wondered why I was allowing medicine to kill me rather than just wait for the natural progression of cancer. I felt very unproductive and worthless to my family. But, in those dark days, God was there. Through reading His word, He met me. Isaiah 49:23b reads, “Then you will know that I am the Lord, those who hope in me will not be disappointed.” He showed me His beauty, His love for me, and that there was hope.
It was a gift to be faced with my own human frailty and to know that I must rely on the Lord. It was a gift to take time to ponder what (and who) matters most. It was a gift to have faith and trust in God’s complete sovereignty. It was a gift to experience suffering and to be able to empathize with others who suffer. It was a gift to walk in peace knowing that God is not surprised by any of these events. It was a gift to focus on God’s promises rather than my pain.
When I was too weary to think clearly, I just copied Bible verses. Philippians 4:7, Romans 15:13, Jeremiah 29:11, Matthew 28:20, Psalm 92:1-2, Jeremiah 30:17, Psalm 31, Isaiah 54:10, Psalm 27:13-14, Isaiah 26:3, James 1:2-4, and Isaiah 41:13 all strengthened my spirit and helped me face another day.
I chose to focus on hope and was constantly reminded of God’s steadfast (unchanging, constant, unswerving, immovable, reliable, fixed, resolute, loyal, unshakable, dependable, faithful, dedicated, true) love for me as I read Psalm 86:13, Psalm 59:17, Lamentation 3:22, Psalm 62: 11-12, Psalm 51:1, and Psalm 86:5. Psalm 33:18 (ESV) reminded me, “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love.”
Action Items
Returning the gift:
One of the best gifts that cancer has given me is the opportunity to give back to others. I can be the one who blesses them with service, empathy, encouragement, and love. I can share my faith and show them how God can give them peace to walk the dark road. Romans 8:28 declares, “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.”
Being diagnosed with breast cancer can give an opportunity to strengthen and guide you, and to focus on the things that truly matter. As you prepare to journal your thoughts in the Comments Section that follows, take a few moments to read some of the verses outlined above, and reflect on how you can make a difference in the lives of others.