Using Our Cancer

“So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’ See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!” 2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2

During this exciting time of the Summer Olympics, there is so much inspirational material on the news that I almost don’t need to read my usual devotions…almost! Today I heard about a basketball player who, after becoming a Christian, began to wonder why God kept blessing him. Why was he so successful in everything he did? Why did he always win? Why didn’t he experience more hardships, like other players did? This thought began to bother him, until one day God spoke to his heart and told him the reason why… so that he would have a platform. He now has a platform to make a difference in the lives of others. People listen to him when he speaks, and those who admire him want to imitate him. When he realized this, he stopped dwelling so much on his career and began focusing on inspiring others, to show them the way to true peace and joy and fullness of life. Ironically, he is still winning games constantly. It struck me that his blessing is not so different from mine. Cancer patients have also been given a platform. We can now relate to an entirely new segment of society. As Christians, we have an opportunity to bring healing and hope to those who despair.  Like the basketball player on the news, we can point to the One Who Heals and our words will have more credibility than ever before, especially when we share our testimony of how our amazing God has carried us through our trial. The nurses are watching, the neighbors are watching, our children are watching…what a golden opportunity to show where our strength comes from, to "use" and not to "waste" our cancer. And ironically, when I find myself focusing on others, I stop dwelling so much on my disease. And by His grace, I am winning.

Thank You, Lord, for constant reminders of Your grace. Every situation in my life can be used for Your glory. Help me to let Your light shine through my life, to stop dwelling on my own situation and to think of what You would have me do for others. Bless those who suffer, who fear, and who are in pain, and show them that Your strength and Your grace are more than enough to carry them.