Pastor Wendy
called me for a “wellness check” when I was halfway through the six, three-week
treatments that began just before Christmas last year. I just finished the sixth treatment last week
and my care team is optimistic. She
asked me if there was anything I had been able to draw from my faith?
There were three
salient drivers that sustained me throughout my treatment to eliminate
Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer for the last four months that I’d like to share; 1)
an attitude for prayer, 2) living one day at a time and 3) the firm belief of
never being alone on the journey.
First, in
the Lord's Prayer, the
phrase "thy will be done" is a petition for
God's purposes to be fully realized on earth just as they are in heaven.
It is an act of humility
where the person praying submits their own desires to God's plan, acknowledging
that His wisdom is superior. This is often modeled after Jesus' prayer in
Gethsemane. “He said, Father if it’s
your will, take this cup of suffering away from me. However, not my will but your will must be
done.” –Luke 22:40-42
When looking for comfort, this phrase allows for trusting God with outcomes, rather than desperately trying to control them.
We understand that God is
timeless. He’s aware of the past,
present and future.
Knowing the past and understanding the future may influence His will for us.
Secondly,
from scripture:
“Be strong and
courageous. Do not be afraid. Do
not be discouraged.
For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” —JOSHUA 1:9
My oncologist was being honest when he said, “The longest path in
treatment is rarely a straight line.”
And of course, that applies to life in general. God walks with us on those paths and
sometimes even carries us on those treacherous detours!
At Bethlehem, He was “God
WITH us.” At calvary, He was “God
FOR us.”
And, At Pentecost, He became “God IN us.” Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Jesus gives us the Great Commission at the very end
of Matthew’s gospel, so others in our community can benefit; “Therefore go
and make disciples of all nations…And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age.”
And third, I had to repeatedly remind
myself many times a day to;
“Live one day at a time” and “Don’t get ahead
of your skis!”
My sister overcame breast cancer and counseled me to get
the facts which are always more sensible than our human imaginations.
In Matthew 6:34, Jesus teaches us to live in the present and avoid anxiety
about the future. He urges us to focus
on the current day's responsibilities and trust, rather than being overwhelmed
by what may happen later.
Ultimately, this teaching is a call to choose
peace over worry and to live in the assurance that God is already in the
future providing for His kingdom.
Worry
is a conversation you have with yourself about the things you
cannot change.
Prayer is a conversation you have with God about the things He can change.
Finally, I came across these short thoughts from
Ullie-Kaye:
“Nothing teaches you gratitude, like having walked
through something hard—
Knowing that at any given time, your whole world
could come crashing down and change again.
I am thankful for a past that couldn’t destroy me.
A present that still looks for miracles and a future that is
secure,
Not because I’m holding it all together. but because God
is!”
