Don't Waste Your Cancer

John Piper seems to be recovering well from his prostate surgery yesterday. Here is an article he wrote on the eve of his surgery. It is true that Christ's love is better than life (Psa 63.3) and that he will never leave us so what do we have to fear (Matt 28.20; Heb 13.5-6)? I pray that the church would be able to say what John says in this article. We need to be convinced that an eternity with God is better than a lifetime of prosperity here. Please read his article. It will help you and those you know who are struggling with pain and sickness and death. He writes ten ways that someone can waste something as precious and powerful as cancer. Yes, there is a huge amount of suffering in the world, but it is meant to draw us closer to Christ. His sufficiency in the face of pain. Our weakness and need...Oh that Christians would embrace Jesus in times of suffering and not cling to this life as though it were everything. Here is an excerpt: I write this on the eve of prostate surgery. I believe in God's power to heal—by miracle and by medicine. I believe it is right and good to pray for both kinds of healing. Cancer is not wasted when it is healed by God. He gets the glory and that is why cancer exists. So not to pray for healing may waste your cancer. But healing is not God’s plan for everyone. And there are many other ways to waste your cancer. I am praying for myself and for you that we will not waste this pain... 5. You will waste your cancer if you think that “beating” cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ. Satan’s and God’s designs in your cancer are not the same. Satan designs to destroy your love for Christ. God designs to deepen your love for Christ. Cancer does not win if you die. It wins if you fail to cherish Christ. God’s design is to wean you off the breast of the world and feast you on the sufficiency of Christ. It is meant to help you say and feel, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” And to know that therefore, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 3:8; 1:21). ©Desiring God