My sister Mary has led a healthy life. She’s made wise decisions along the way, not smoking, drinking, overeating, or under-exercising. She’s avoided aspirin, Tylenol, and antibiotics whenever possible. The combination of those choices along with good genes, has resulted in a healthy life. No hospital stays except for giving birth, and no surgeries. She didn’t even have a doctor of her own.
Till now.
Suddenly she’s got a whole team of doctors. Cancer slammed into her life a month ago, and at a bare minimum, she’s majorly disappointed. If she let herself go to the maximum (which she hasn’t), she’d be scared stiff.
Mary’s healthy body has begun behaving badly. She might say, “That’s ok. I’m due.”
But in the dark of night anyone who’s experiencing a fresh challenge as she is can be emotionally jet-propelled to the disturbing thought, “What’s going to happen?”
But God is always way ahead of us and is ready for that question. When we’re lying in bed wide-eyed with anxiety, God steps out of the darkness and whispers, “Listen carefully. I’m well prepared for this, and if you’ll let me, I’ll get you ready in time for every new experience. And I’ll do that all the way through. Yes, ‘through’. You and I together will get to the other side of this crisis.
“I realize I’ve programmed you to plan ahead and make lists, which makes it all the harder to hear that your plans and lists must come beneath mine now. But here’s a new way to look at it. The reason I’ve let this crisis come is so you’ll learn more about Me and want to intensify your personal relationship with Me. I want you to want that as dearly as I do.”
God says all that and then waits for our response.
When we get sick, particularly with something as forceful as cancer, God is trying to teach a hard lesson about independence and dependence. In a health failure, for example, he’s letting us know we can no longer depend on our bodies to be a source of well-being. He is the only One who can consistently and permanently provide that, without failure.
In ancient times when kings needed to make a show of power and superiority, they turned to the biggest, swiftest resources of strength known to them: horses and chariots. With enough of those, they could win any war. At least that’s what they thought.
We know from Scripture that God conquered those horses and chariots in all kinds of unexpected ways: with confusion, loud noises, water, darkness, fire, and much more. With him it’s never about human weapons or strength but always about himself.
So we can view a health crisis as an ideal chance to discount a worrisome lack of resources and use it to get to know The Resource to end all resources: God All-Mighty.
“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD himself, is my strength and my defense.” (Isa. 12:2)
Mary’s prayer requests:
- Praise for a loving, caring family, including those who have gone before
- Praise for long-standing prayer partners
- Pray for unwavering faith and trust in the Lord
- Pray for courage as surgery gets closer
Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.
Many, many people are praying for you, Mary. We love you.
Marni,
This is SO good!! Wonderful, Biblical advice!
When my husband was facing surgery for prostate cancer, I awoke every morning with a new hymn echoing through my mind – ones I had not thought of or sung for years, in some instances – God was there, reminding me of His love and care through the days to come. I pray that for you Mary, whether it is hymns, scripture (I know you have a lot packed away in your brain), or other words of encouragement. I am so thankful we never have to go through these valleys alone. Margaret – thank you so much for continuing your blog – it is so encouraging and thought-provoking.