Don’t waste your cancer. Use it to help others. I wish I could take credit for the title. I borrowed it from a short booklet called Don’t waste your cancer, by John Piper. It’s true for more than “just” cancer, not that cancer is a small thing. Rather, my point is that even the way we deal with small problems can help others.
Don’t waste your cancer. Use it to help others. More
2020 has been a difficult year. COVID is all over the world. With it comes various restrictions that make people upset. What seems to get lost is the more than 1,000,000 (1 million) people who’ve died from it. So far. There will be more. As you read this, more people will die. Also apparently forgotten or ignored are the healthcare workers. They tirelessly risk their lives, including for people who selfishly get sick for their own pleasure. These same healthcare workers also get sick. And they add to the number of dead and dying. But still, this is Thanksgiving. How do we give thanks?
Can we give thanks on Thanksgiving 2020? More
God’s peace: Just over six months ago, I was diagnosed with cancer. The genomic testing from the biopsy said I could wait for treatment and go into what they called active surveillance. Part of the active surveillance is a rotation between biopsies and MRI’s. According to the biopsy, as I said, it was reasonably safe to go into the surveillance mode. They give the percentage chance that the cancer will spread beyond where it is, then you make your decision whether to remove it, treat it, or wait. I chose to wait.
The thing is, years ago I think that waiting would have driven me crazy. So much uncertainty. Fear and anxiety. And that would lead to depression. Which would then lead to a desire to die. Thoughts of suicide. That’s the way I was.
But now, it hasn’t been that way. Yes, I have the head knowledge to know that I can trust in God to take care of me. And yes, I have the head knowledge to know that the next life is what’s most important. But head knowledge doesn’t get rid of the fear and the anxiety. It just can’t.
It’s only through what we Christians call heart knowledge that those things can be overcome
Trust in God’s peace – living with cancer More
Trust in God; Trust also in me – but how and why?
Interesting, isn’t it? The why part is actually relatively easy to see. If we trust God, then our hearts won’t be troubled. That’s the goal, isn’t it?
But the how part. Even though I want the goal of not worrying, not being troubled, trust is so hard to come by.
The thing is, from watching the dogs I’ve had, I can see that trust is possible between them and me. Even Hachiko, the most scared dog of all, came to trust me. Even though things happened, like the can of paint.
So if I take the relationship between Hachiko and me – use it to see what a relationship could be like between me and God – it helps. Helps me, anyway.
Trust in God; Trust also in me – especially with cancer More
So Dewey dying wasn’t a surprise. It wasn’t anything to be angry about – or to question God about. No. It was the way it happened.
A very special dog – a very sad day – more lessons More
