This
month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
During this month our fellowship
recognizes a very special group of people on Sunday, October 27th...our Cancer
Survivors. We continue our series on:
What can we learn from the journeys and
battles of those who have traveled this road?
1.
Crisis Creates
Confusion – A diagnosis can be a disturbing time.
2.
Caution Causes
Carefulness – Don’t get ahead of God!
- Commitment Calls for
Courage – Facing the challenges and
fears of life in faith is courageous.
- Conquering May Not Mean Cure
Because of the
surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from
exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan
to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the
Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace
is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly,
therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ
may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults,
with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for
when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Cancer survivors live with a reality that the cells in their
body might react against them once more.
The word “cure” is seldom heard in the life of one who has experienced
cancer. While they may live in remission
from the disease, the very fact they have had cancer greatly increases the
chances for its return. How do they
handle that? What can they teach us about the things that never seem to go away but
trouble our lives?
"I learned long ago how to bend, twist, and evade the blows that
threatened to break me.
So here I stand, complete, un-shattered. Of course, my shape is peculiar." Anon.
Vulnerability is a feeling of weakness in the face of a
threat. It is recognizing or feeling capable
of being physically or emotionally wounded or hurt. Such a feeling is a part of the cancer survivor. Yet, it is also a part of many other’s
lives. Being vulnerable comes with
love. It is a part of continuing
relationships with people who have weaknesses their lives that cause them to
lash out or live in anger. Some live
with diseases and impairments other than cancer that cause pain or difficulty
on a daily basis.
To “conquer” means
to gain the victory; to overcome; to prevail; to subdue or overcome by mental
or moral power; to surmount; as, to conquer difficulties, temptation, etc. A “conqueror”
is one who is in the process of “conquering.” Such is the state of the one who lives in the
grace and power which Paul spoke of in 2
Corinthians 12.
There are
so many who are in the midst of a war that has many battles. They may fight daily the attacks on their
body, soul or spirit. There is a
constant awareness of danger or threat.
And yet, the attitude they carry is not one who is on the verge of
defeat, but one who is claiming a victory.
What can they learn from these who have suffered and won yet know they
may have to fight again?
Paul said
the lesson for him was, for
when I am weak, then I am strong. Dependency is not weakness when it is exercised as faith in a powerful,
loving God.
There are many battles to be fought in this world, and maybe you don’t
have cancer, but you are fighting a different battle. Call on Christ to carry you through to
victory, and claim what He has already won.
Scripture to
Claim:
but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast,
immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is
not in vain in the Lord. 1
Corinthians 15:57-58
