Testing your Faith Produces Patience. 

I use Billy Graham’s daily devotional, "Hope for Each Day", and on page 239, he gives some thoughts on the above topic.  He refers to James 1:3 and James 5:7-8.

He uses the example given in James 5:7 of a farmer waiting patiently for the rains to come, which will in turn allow the crops to come.  The key point is “expectation”.  That is, the farmer waits with positive expectation, not stress because the crops haven’t come yet.

I’ve had my own experiences with this as a prostate cancer patient.  I pray every night for the strength to get through whatever it is I have to get through, and I pray that my health will be restored.  Over the seven years I’ve been a cancer survivor, most of the news I’ve received from my doctors has been negative.  Either the PSA went up again, or the treatment didn’t work, or there was progression of clinical symptoms, etc.  You can imagine it has been a psychological set back every time, a blow to lower my expectations for survival, a test of my faith in God to take care of me through any circumstance.  However, every time, after a period of depressed spirits, I always experience a bubbling up of renewed faith in God.  I’m able to say, every time, “yes, Lord, I still have Faith”.  I’ve felt like it has been a test of my faith every time, and every time, I’ve come out with a stronger faith.

What examples do you have of your cancer survival experience “testing your faith”?

Farrel

I am creating a new website today and moving to a different host to facilitate uploading useful information for cancer survivors and to include a blog so the community of christian cancer survivors can communicate.  Hopefully this will encourage participation across the globe and the formation of new Christian Cancer Survivor support groups.