All of a Sudden- Brain Cancer
“God came through for me.”
- Donna Hill
Donna’s life turned upside down after receiving this report from a doctor: “The good news is you aren’t having a stroke- the bad news is you have a cancerous brain tumor.” In the video, Donna describes the shock and fear that came with the cancer diagnosis. Throughout her journey with both surgery and chemotherapy, she found she was never alone that God was there with her.
“I felt like she had given me a death sentence.”
As the initial shock of the moment passes, the feelings of reality set in. The reaction can be of panic, despair, fear, hopelessness. Thoughts can steer towards every worst-case scenario imaginable. It is hard to comprehend that life was fine just a moment ago.
“I felt like I was invisible to God…I felt like God was not listening to my prayers.”
God is always present, yet He uses these situations where it seems that He is unaware of our struggles. He uses these situations to test us. To see where we run to when life is falling apart. In these moments we may choose to hide inside ourselves or hide in things that can mask our pain. But God is calling us to hide in Him.
“I kept asking am I going to make it, am I going to make it?”
When the situations of life overwhelm us to the point where we are lost in the doubt that seems to surround us. We can rest in the promises that God will never leave nor forsake us. That in our struggles and pain, He is working to restore.
“Not only restoring my health and my strength but restoring my soul.”
In the end, when we put our trust in God, we will always be restored. We may not see the results we want. Or see life restored to all that it once was. For God does not want to give us lives of comfort where we will not grow, but rather in the times of discomfort, He wants to see our character grow. And He is faithful to the end.
“It is in my heart; I know that God is faithful.”
Words to Live By:
“You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance” Psalm 32:7 (ESV).
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you” Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV).
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” Psalm 23:4 (ESV).
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV).
Dr. Ron’s Perspective:
Cancer – the terrifying word no one wants to hear or speak about. It strikes fear in the hearts of most people, triggering images of suffering and death. A cancer diagnosis makes one feel vulnerable and fragile. Shock, fear, and disbelief are also common reactions. Many people wonder, “Why is this happening to me?” Some are afraid to die, and indeed, some will. You are not alone in these feelings and reactions. Many others who have received a cancer diagnosis are afraid too, but there is always hope! Death may be the end of life as we know it on Earth, but it is also the beginning of a new life in Heaven for those who are saved through Jesus Christ.
Grace Notes by Philip Yancey
“Taking God’s assignment seriously means that I must learn to look at the world upside down, as Jesus did. Instead of seeking out people who stroke my ego, I find those whose egos need stroking; instead of important people with resources who can do me favors, I find people with few resources; instead of the strong, I look for the weak; instead of the healthy, the sick” (25).
