Yesterday I had the opportunity to visit a very good friend of mine. This friend was diagnosed with cancer a month after I was. He went through treatment similar to me – chemotherapy but no radiation. The unfortunate part is that the cancer did not respond to the chemo he received, it got worse.
The day before I went to see my friend he was given the news that cancer had spread and now there was nothing that they could do for him. That is a devastating thing to be told. The doctor said that they could make him comfortable for the rest of his time. Tragic.
When I heard this it threw me for a loop. He had been believing for healing and so was everyone else for him. It was not the news that anyone expected to hear.
When I went to see him yesterday I was already determined that I was going to pray for him. The focus of my prayer I felt was for wisdom and not necessarily healing. I didn’t quite understand why this was but that is what I knew I was going to pray for.
In the course of visiting with him he and I talked about several things. One of those things was what I went through in my treatment for cancer.In my treatment I had reached a point with one of my doctors where I felt that he was no longer effective in my treatment. That is not to say anything bad about him but I felt that I could be getting better information about my individual situation from a doctor who was more familiar with my type of cancer. I told him how I had then gone to another cancer doctor and had gotten better information which led to better treatment.
In telling him this story it dawned on me – his situation was not an end, it was just another chapter in his life, and not the last chapter.
As I brought this up to him I explained that maybe this doctor wasn’t too familiar with his type of cancer and so that was all that he could do for him. Maybe someone who was more familiar with my friends type of cancer could do more. He agreed.
As we talked about this I could see the difference in him as he went from despair to hope. The doctor had given up on him but God had not. I explained to my friend that it was up to him as to whether he was going to receive the word of the doctor and die or the word of God and live.
As the bible says:
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. – Proverbs 18:21 NKJ
As far as God is considered it is up to my friend as to when he checks out of this life. If he wants to stay then God will give him everything that he needs in order to do so. I am happy to say that my friend agreed with me.
The rest of my time with him in the hospital we talked about different places that he had heard of that could possibly help him. We were also blessed to be able to talk about non-cancer items as well. In all we had a good time together.
When it was time for me to leave I told him how I had felt the need to pray for wisdom before I had come. In my prayer I prayed that God would direct him in this next chapter of his life. I prayed that God would direct him to the people that would know how to fix his situation. I also prayed that he would continue to choose life, and not death, and complete the purpose that God has for him in this life.
He agreed with me in those prayers and we both believe that they will come to pass. I can’t wait to see God do it.
2 Comments
Hello Dan,
I came across your website and blogs just recently. I was diagnosed with rectal cancer in August of 2009 and am right in the middle of my therapy. I’ve had surgery, radiation, chemo (which I am half way through right now) and will have more surgery later for a reversal of an ileostomy and also have my thyroid removed which is also cancerous, (totally unrelated to the rectal cancer). All together it will take about a year to get through it all. My husband and I are pastors and I also work full time in a hospital of all things. I’m still working between treatments which is sometimes pretty hard because of the effects of chemo. We’ve had to put our ministry on hold right now. Our God is a good God and is helping us be overcomers through this. I’m journaling and will eventually put it into a book to help others. Our prayers are with you. Your blogs will bring comfort to many. In Jesus, Kathleen
Kathleen, I am sorry to hear that you are going through this. You are right though, our God is a good God. He is the reason I made it through and am here today. Just keep trusting in Him and He will see you through. God bless.