Cancer Didn’t Make Me Brave—Jesus Did
Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”- Joshua 1:9
We laid quietly in the dark, holding hands. At long last, the wonderful peace passing all understanding had dried our desperate tears.
I had cancer. My husband and I were doing our best to navigate this uninvited and vicious storm. We knew a traumatic surprise to us was, was no surprise to God, our loving Father, who doeth all things well.
“There is only one reason why the Lord would allow cancer to invade my body,” I whispered to my husband as dawn began to break. “Someone out there needs Jesus.”
My husband turned toward me and began to sob again. “You are the bravest person I know,” was his quiet observation.
The truth was, when I was a little girl, I was known as a scaredy-cat. I was afraid of the dark, my neighbor’s dog and what not eating vegetables would do to my body. I was terrified of spiders, crossing the street, and spending the night at my best friend’s home.
That awful night, lying in bed beside my husband, I realized that although I was not brave, I did indeed serve the God of Daniel, Noah and Esther. When I had determined as a young child to wholeheartedly live for Christ, His strength trumped my weakness. His courage gave me a new lease on life. I was no longer intimidated by what I could see with my natural eyes, but I had been given power to walk among the lions of life, to outlast any monstrous storm, and to look death in the eye. Jesus had transformed my fear into an outrageous and audacious faith experienced only by those who chose to firmly gaze at God and merely glimpse at their circumstances.
For the following two and a half years, I traveled the rugged, often ugly, road of cancer treatment. I endured body-altering surgeries, vile drugs and unending tests. And through it all, I was dressed in the rare courage provided by the One who has promised never to leave me or forsake me. Every doctor’s appointment became my personal mission field and each trip to the hospital was a journey filled with divine appointments. In my obvious weakness, He became my miraculous strength and joy.
I now realize cancer was an invitation to walk in a courage that only comes from the Father. I was able to respond to His amazing invitation with a sparkle in my eyes and with a spring in my step.
Courage is not a personality trait nor is it a by-product of one’s human nature. Courage cannot be bought, sold, traded or bartered. Courage enters the soul of a common man or ordinary woman when Jesus comes in to stay. We have a power this earth is unable to reckon with or fight against - His Name is Jesus.
Questions for Reflection:
1. Do you struggle with worry or fear? What are some of the events that have caused you to be afraid?
2. How does knowing that Jesus is with you make you more courageous?
3. What is your favorite Bible verse to quote when you are afraid?
