Dear Cancer Survivor:Faith Can Move Mountains
As I shared in a previous post, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in November of 2022. I have been fairly private about it all because it is such a sensitive subject for my family and I.
I certainly appreciate those who are willing to share their experiences, even in the midst of tremendous difficulty. I have benefited a great deal from their bravery and vulnerability but I needed time, time to process and to heal; both of which I am still doing.
I never imagined that I would be a cancer survivor, but even if I had; I don’t think I could have predicted the magnitude of its impact not only on my physical body; but also my mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
Cancer pervades every area of your life, like being up close to a mountain which seems to permeate the landscape and span the whole sky, it touches everything.
At times, it felt impossible to see beyond its breadth .
But, we know what God’s Word has to say about mountains.
In Matthew 17:20 Jesus says to his disciples: For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.
Deep Calls to Deep:
This is just one of many examples in Scripture wherein we are instructed to offer what we have (in this case; faith the size of a mustard seed- which by any worldly standard would appear insufficient) and by God’s power and sufficiency, we are able to accomplish far more than we ever could apart from Him.
The mountain may appear boundless but God’s reach is greater still.
Perhaps despite our faith, the mountain is not moved but rather must be traversed and endured.
There were several instances I can recall during treatment specifically where I had reached the end of my own abilities.
My body was at its physical limits, my mind at capacity full of questions and doubts, my heart felt irrevocably broken and my soul was downcast.
From the lowest point of my life, as I struggled with what words to pray, the Holy Spirit who helps us in our weakness, interceded for me in wordless groans (Romans 8:26.)
Deep cried out to deep (Psalm 42) and what I discovered in that place was that God’s love is deeper still.
An Enduring Faith:
In her memoir The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom shares her family’s experience helping to hide the Jewish people during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. She even shares her personal account of their time in a concentration camp. It’s a truly remarkable story, one of incredible resilience and unwavering faith despite horrific circumstances.
In the book, Betsie ten Boom; who is Corrie’s sister and who is very ill and nearing the end of her life is quoted as saying , “We must tell people what we have learned here. We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that He is not deeper still. They will listen to us Corrie, because we have been here.”
Dear Cancer Survivor: You Can Have An Abundant Life
I am nearly one year in remission and I am still so tender as I write these words. My prayer however is that by sharing these truths I may be of help to someone who needs it, from someone who has been there.
There isn’t a grief that exceeds His comfort (Matthew 11:28.) There isn’t a wound He cannot heal (Jeremiah 17:14.) There isn’t a fear greater than the peace that He provides (Philippians 4:7.) There isn’t a suffering which compares to the glory that is to be revealed to us because of Jesus (Romans 8:18.)
Our circumstances, and even our suffering have no bearing on who He is, was, and will always be (Hebrews 13:8.)
So keep hold of those mustard seeds, knowing that from them abundant life springs forth because the object of our faith has made it so.
Dear Cancer Survivor: Look Unto Him:
Charles Spurgeon said it this way, “Our life is found in “looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2) not in looking to our own faith. By faith all things become possible to us, yet the power is not in the faith but in the God in whom faith relies.”
What a relief this is to all of us, but especially those of us who are experiencing suffering. To know that we can open our hands, offer what little we may have, and trust in God’s infinite provision. It’s not up to us to muster more faith, but rather to trust in the one who is eternally faithful.
As always, I pray this was a blessing to you. If you are experiencing a season of difficulty; I pray that you will open your hands and your heart to the Lord and let Him reveal Himself to you. For He is close to the broken hearted and crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18.)
If you are a Cancer survivor or thiver I would love to hear from you.
Here are some resources you may find helpful in supporting the cancer survivor in your life:
https://www.ourjourneyofhope.com/about-ministry
https://www.cancercompanion.org
Remember from Day 1 of diagnosis, you or your loved one is a cancer survivor. Remind yourself or your loved one of this truth everyday. It helps so much. I am praying for you!
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