INTRODUCTION
When your life is interrupted by the
unwelcome guest of cancer, and what you
thought would be a two month hump turns out
to be nine months and counting, many well
intentioned folks ask questions like: "What
is God teaching you through all this?" and
"You must have learned so much about
yourself...?"
Why I didn't title this article "What I Have
Learned" is because it is an ongoing
process, and whether I am sick or well,
there is never any end to the educational
process of life. It goes on as long as you
are breathing.
CRUCIAL TO SURVIVE
For someone used to travelling in ministry
on a weekly basis for the last 20 years, it
has been a challenge to be at home for most
of this year. The debilitating effects of
chemotherapy (I always thought therapy was
supposed to be something pleasant, as in
therapeutic) affect every part of your being
- physically, spiritually and in your soul.
The strength of His Word, His amazing grace,
the prayers of the saints and your own res
ilience
are crucial to survive this kind of trial.
So what am I learning? In the past nine
months, I have had to live out every
scripture that I used to preach about. Here
are a few.
DAY BY DAY
The first thing I am learning in this
situation is you literally have to take one
day at a time. "Therefore do not worry
about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry
about its own things. Sufficient for the day
is its own trouble" (Matt. 6:34). When
you wake up every morning wondering if you
are going to have enough strength to get
through the day, your focus is just that
day. You're not thinking about the next week
or month. Everything is more immediate.
WALKING ON WATER
The next thing I am learning is to
completely trust God, not just for a few
things or to satisfy a current need - but I
mean for everything! "But this made us
stop trusting in ourselves and start
trusting God, who raises the dead to life.
God saved us from the threat of death, and
we are sure that he will do it again and
again" (2 Corinthians 1:9-10). When a
doctor says you only have six months to two
years to live, there is a fine line between
denial and faith. When I was told that
earlier this year, I had to come to a place
of peace that, even though I believed He
would not let me perish, I would be just as
happy if He decided that it was time to take
me home. That is a point not easily arrived
at, but I got there.
I have preached for years that only a true
Christian has the win/win hope that whether
I live or die, I just can't lose for
winning. "For to me, to live is Christ,
and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21).
Over the past nine months, I have had to
literally live this verse.
INNER
STRENGTH
"The spirit of a man will sustain him in
sickness..." (Proverbs 18:14).
During one of my many hospital visits over
this year, a nurse once said to me, "I've
seen a lot of people come and go in your
condition, and I can always tell which ones
are going to make it and which ones won't...
and I know you will!" A resilient inner
strength of spirit is a crucial commodity to
survive the negative reports that will come
from heaven and earth. When I say heaven, I
don't mean the highest heaven where God's
throne dwells, but the lower spiritual
realms of dark influence. The battleground
is the human mind, and you must stay
positive.
LIFE JACKET
"...I have learned, in whatsoever state I
am, therewith to be content"
(Philippians 4:11). The challenging changes
I've experienced over this last year have
had some disastrous results for others, both
financially as well as physically. In all of
this, the above scripture has been a life
jacket in an uncertain sea. The support that
the Lord has provided through His Body has
been more than enough to relieve us of the
stress associated with the loss of regular
income from ministry and preaching. Dealing
with the stress of the disease is enough
without having to be concerned about
support.
TIME TO REFOCUS
Apart from all that, there's a time and
season for everything, so as I said in our
last Health Update, "I am forever thankful
for God's amazing grace to get this far. It
has been confirmed by so many that there is
much more for me to accomplish before my
God-given assignment is completed. With most
of my focus being on my health all this
year, it's now time to refocus and
concentrate on what the Lord would have me
do up ahead.... The way I figure it is to
start by just getting up and moving again.
As I move in the right direction, things
will become clearer as I go!"
That's what I am learning!
