Praising God in the Valley

Introduction

For your love and kindness are better to me than life itself.

How I praise You! I will bless You as long as I live. Psalm 63:3-4 (TLB)

A new chapter in my life began in March, 2017. This new chapter is about a journey that God has been leading me through, a journey that began the morning when I heard, for the first time, the diagnosis that everyone dreads and hope they will never hear … … CANCER.

At times this journey has lead me through some deep valleys with dark and threatening shadows, finding myself in need of a courage and source of strength beyond my own to be able to press on. There were other times, when I have needed it most, that it has felt like I was being lifted up from the dark valley below by God’s strong and loving arms to soar to the mountain top, where He blessed me by allowing me to see an incredibly majestic, glorious, and panoramic view of what ultimately lies ahead for those who remain faithful to Him.

Although there are many different forms of cancer - each comprised of its own unique set of symptoms, treatment plan and prognosis - that word “cancer” can often strike fear into the hearts and minds of even the strongest and bravest of people. Cancer is nondiscriminatory when it comes to things like wealth, position, power, status, education or ethnic background. No one is exempt from the possibility.

Often the immediate response from the patient, especially the first time they hear it, is unbelief, shock, fear, and uncertainty about their future. Their mind starts filling with questions like:

How will this new diagnosis impact my life, my family, my goals and my plans?;

How will the recommended treatments and related side effects affect my ability to do my job and continue to support my family?;

How am I going to get through this?

So many questions. So few guarantees. The bigger questions on their minds and hearts, even when left unspoken, may be, “Will I die from this?,” and “If I die, where will I go next?”

Many Christians are familiar with the bible verse found in Romans 8:28 (NKJV),

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Many Christians believe it’s true, yet when they or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer they may begin to question, or even doubt, how this disease could possibly work for good. When their whole world, all they planned, seems to have been turned upside down, it’s often hard to see it early on. That’s when we need to accept by faith and trust that this promise is true, even though we don’t yet see or understand how God will work this out for good. Though it may not be as clear in the beginning, if we remain faithful to Him it will be probably be much easier to see the many ways that God actually did work it for good as we move further along in the journey.