Thank God For Cancer

I had a slight cough, just a nagging aggravating hack that prompted me to do something about it. I began to look through the phone book for an ENT doctor, picked one at random, and made an appointment. The doctor probed for a little while in my right ear, made me cough some, and then made a diagnosis. I was happy with the diagnosis and went on my way.

A few days later, I began to notice a slight swelling on the right side of my neck. The ENT doctor had zeroed in on the problem with my cough, and so I thought maybe he would know what to do about this as well. Sure enough, he did. “Let’s get a cat scan,” was his reaction. Later, sitting in his treatment room and looking at the film, I stared at a large dark ominous lump—a tumor—in the right side of my neck. “Well,” the doctor said,” we are going to need surgery.” A few days later, I found myself in the hospital under the surgeon’s knife. This is very painful surgery, but the prognosis looked as if all of tumor had been removed, and hopefully there would be no more problems. But this was not the end of the problem. A few months later, another tumor showed up along with another surgery. I had a total of four neck surgeries performed over a period of nearly two years. This last tumor is now being treated with chemo therapy and radiation therapy. At this point, I am beginning to question my possibilities of survival. The doctors seem to agree. I have a very rare form of a fast growing and aggressive cancer.

Before all this happened, I had been in distress for a number of years about my relationship with my daughter. We were estranged from each other and had hardly talked at all for a number of years. I had prayed long and hard, begging God to do something to restore our relationship and to give me wisdom about it. I was hitting a stone wall in prayer until, in desperation, I began to cry out to God, “Whatever it takes Father, please restore my relationship with my daughter–whatever it takes.” Little did I know it would mean a rare, aggressive, and fast growing form of cancer.

I now find myself at my rope’s end. I hate this. I hate the cancer. I hate the hopelessness. I hate the pain. I hate the treatments, the weakness, and the problems that the surgery caused by affecting my right eye and my voice. Everything about this speaks of misery and defeat.

But God had something else in mind. I began to communicate with our daughter about what was going on, and she wanted details about all of it. My son had been very close to me, and he too has kept her apprised of the seriousness of my cancer. Before long, our daughter sent an e-mail asking, “Can I come over?” Of course my heart was now singing! I was saying “Please come,” and at the same time I was saying, “Praise you Father, I didn’t know what you were doing, but you were answering my prayer by giving me cancer.”

She came, and we sat down together and resolved some of the issues that kept us apart. God performed a miracle in our family and brought back a precious relationship. I did not want cancer. I did not want such an answer to my prayer, but I praise God for it now!

Unlike me, Jesus our Lord tells of how He knew what He would face for our sakes when He went to the cross to die for our sins. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” It was His plan from the time that He was born to die for the sins of mankind. He did it because He loves you and me and willingly suffered, died, and rose the third day so that we may have eternal life.

The Bible says that there is only one way to heaven. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” In another place, He said, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

In one respect, Jesus’ death was a tragedy. But in another, like my cancer, it was the most precious thing that could have ever happened to you and me. Sometimes, the bad things in life are the best things in life. Jesus died so you and I could go to heaven. To receive that wonderful gift, follow this simple procedure:

1. Admit you are a sinner. (Romans 3:10)
2. Know that your sin is sending you to Hell, that good living cannot erase your sin, and that you must turn to Jesus. (Acts 17:30-31)
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you, paid your sin debt, was buried, and rose from the dead. (Romans 10:9-10)
4. Through prayer, invite Jesus into your life so that He may become your personal Saviour. (Romans 10:13)

What to pray:

“Dear God, I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ shed His precious blood and died for my sin. I am willing to turn from sin and to Jesus for salvation. I now invite Christ to come into my heart and life as my personal Saviour.”

Just like my cancer reconciled my daughter and me, so too can the shed blood of Jesus Christ reconcile you to God. So yes, thank God for my cancer, and thank God for Jesus’ death on the cross. Trust Him today!