The following is a series of excerpts from chapter 6 of Journeys with the Cancer Conqueror: Mobilizing Mind & Spirit, by Greg Anderson, 1999, Andrews McMeel Publishing, Kansas City, Missouri, previously published under the title: The Cancer Conqueror (1988). Emphasis is added with bold print to draw attention to cancer conqueror traits.
Most of the summary is quoted directly from the book, but I also add editorial comments along the way that reflect my own personal convictions, Scriptural support of ideas expressed, as well as research from other resources. These are indicated by italicized print. Portions in blue print that are NOT italicized are direct quotes from another source other than the Bible.
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This week the man returns to journey with the Cancer Conqueror. He is not in a good mood, after he just returned from a visit to his oncologist. He is doing great physically, but the waiting room experience is what has him depressed. He’d talked to a woman who just experienced a recurrence. “It’s a frightening prospect to work at getting well only to have the cancer return.”
“Wait! Slow down!” said the Cancer Conqueror, “You’re Awfulizing; you’re letting your thoughts assume the worst possible outcomes.
“I try to take a negative & turn it into something positive. And when I do, invariably I feel better. I’ve come to understand the truth that you cannot help another person without helping yourself.”
(In God’s economy, nothing is wasted! Romans 8:28 tells us, “And we know that in ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose [emphasis added].” I used to get annoyed when my grandmother repeatedly quoted this verse to me when things didn’t go my way, but I have learned, in retrospect, that God is able to bring good out of even the worst experiences in my life.
Matthew 5:7 states, "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Likewise, James 3:18 says, “Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 tells us, “Praise be to God & Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion & the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.” These are a few examples of God’s promises regarding our service to others.
If you are like me, you’ve found that the most rewarding service is not that which is done to earn a paycheck, compliments, recognition, prestige, awards, etc. It’s service characterized by a positive connection between myself & the other person(s) involved. The outcome of the interaction is mutually meaningful & valuable. I felt validated, satisfied, & fulfilled, as a result of the exchange.
Stephen Covey, in his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, states the following about service:
“There is intrinsic security that comes from service, from helping other people in a meaningful way. One important source is your work, when you see yourself in a contributive & creative mode, really making a difference. Another source is anonymous service – no one knows it & no one necessarily ever will. And that’s not the concern; the concern is blessing the lives of other people. Influence, not recognition, becomes the motive.
“. . . The late Dr. Hans Selye, in his monumental research on stress, basically says that a long, healthy, & happy life is the result of making contributions, of having meaningful projects that are personally exciting & contribute to & bless the lives of others. His ethic was ‘earn thy neighbor’s love.’
“In the words of George Bernard Shaw,
“This is the true joy in life – that being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. That being a force of nature, instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments & grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community & as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die. For the harder I work the more I live. Life is no brief candle to me. It’s a sort of splendid torch which torch I’ve got to hold up for the moment & I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”)
“Okay,” said the man. “I understand what you’re suggesting. But the fact is, I talked to a woman who was cancer-free for 7 years. Now it’s back! The idea of a recurrence always haunting me is frightening.”
The Cancer Conqueror was firm. “The fact is, the possibility of recurrence will always be with you. The course of the disease is uncertain. Even so, there is a reason for hope. There is a pervasive belief that is behind almost all worries of recurrence. The belief goes something like, ‘Yes, I may battle the cancer with some success, but in the end the biological process will win & it will eventually get me.’ Have you heard that?”
“Sure, just today I heard that from the woman who had the recurrence.”
“That belief is a major untruth. It is reasonably common for people to go into remission, have a recurrence, & eventually enjoy recovery. Once again, the importance of our beliefs comes into play. We must first understand that recurrence does not mean imminent death.
“Yet, we need to treat recurrence as a crisis. For some people, this is obvious. Their pain is significant, or perhaps they can actually feel or see tumor growth. And it is common for fear to be more intense with recurrence. People may also feel out of control & lose faith in their medical team, their treatment, as well as the entire program they have been implementing. Feelings like ‘I’ve failed’ & ‘I give up’ are common. That’s probably what you saw this morning with that woman.”
“That was precisely it,” said the man. “And it scares me.”
The Cancer Conqueror related her experience with recurrence. She stated, “It was frightening. But I did some things that made it a turning point. Consider the same strategy for yourself. First, I treated myself very gently. I had been back at work, but now I took more time off. I scheduled a vacation at one of our favorite places. And I spent time alone, time to reflect.
“I talked with others, people who successfully overcame the illness. It was helpful to understand that many of them also went through recurrence. Almost all used recurrence as a time to reevaluate. So I followed their advice. I went back to the medical team & had the doctors review the recent evaluations in detail & answer my questions. This helped.
“Then I reviewed my beliefs about illness & recovery, examined the major emotional conflicts still present in my life, & looked more closely at what I could do to bring more joy & well-being into my life. Finally, I asked an important question of myself. Did I want to work toward health once again, or did I want to accept death & spend my energy preparing for it? You can see which I chose – I was willing once again to work toward recovery.”
(Working toward recovery does not guarantee that one will become cancer-free or be a survivor, although this is certainly the hope! It’s a matter of improving my quality of life – mentally, spiritually, & physically. What can I do to influence my mental, spiritual & physical health in a positive manner? I have to find an inner resolve that causes me to never give up – to fight for every moment of life & all the fullness of life, because God is on my side. Romans 8:31 says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” In verse 37 it says, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Those are strong words!)
“But what if you had died? There weren’t any guarantees that you would recover,” said the man.
“Not one,” said the Cancer Conqueror. “But guarantees aren’t the issue. I said that I would work toward recovery that I would strive for health. I could only work toward them. I had to realize that even though I don’t control my destiny, I do influence it. And I chose to influence it toward health.”
The man finished his notes & looked up. “I need something with a lot more certainty. I am expecting this program to bring me health.”
“It can,” said the Cancer Conqueror. “But are you also saying that you’ll reject it if it doesn’t meet all your expectations? If so, I can’t help you. I can’t give you any guarantee. I can only share that for me it was – and still is – a hill-and-valley experience. I refuse to view the valley of recurrence as failure. Instead, I chose to see recurrence as a message. I needed once again to understand the message & decide what my response would be.
“For me the message of recurrence was clearly that I was not taking care of myself as I needed to. Up to that time, I was not really following the diet I knew was best for me. I was exercising occasionally. I wasn’t taking time to play. I only sporadically worked with my creative imagination. And I only partially resolved some of the emotional turmoil that still raged in my life. When I honestly looked at myself, I realized that I had, in many ways, returned to the lifestyle that contributed to my initial illness. I came to understand that recurrence was my body’s way of telling me to choose to change again.”
Next they had a discussion about the man’s fear of death. The Cancer Conqueror remembered having a similar discussion with a pastor who stated, “I assume you believe you will die. I mean, the statistics are overwhelming! A thousand out of a thousand people die! There don’t seem to be many exceptions!”
“Most people are anxious about death’s when & how. There is sadness & possibly anger over the prospect of a shortened life – the when. Perhaps there are dreams still to pursue & people still to love. So a shortened life span seems unfair.
“Yet in a very real sense, people live on in the memories of others. If we want to guarantee a loving memory, if we want to guarantee that we accomplished something significant with our lives, then we need to love, & live now! That’s the secret to overcoming the fear of death’s when –it’s to love now, today, this hour, while we have the opportunity. The key point of understanding is to realize that our life’s value is measured not by its duration but by its donations – of love.”
The man nodded. “Yes. That’s very helpful,” he said. “And profound.”
“What about life after death?” asked the man. “Do you think there is more to come after this life?”
Without hesitation the Cancer Conqueror answered, “To me the evidence is overwhelming. I believe that you & I are much more than physical bodies. I certainly do not pretend to know everything about this issue, yet I see so much evidence that death is the exit from this life & the entrance to the next plane of existence. To me, death doesn’t have to be approached with fear. I think we can approach it with a healthy curiosity about what will be next. It can be viewed as a new adventure. Can you grasp the possibility?”
(In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story of a rich man & a beggar named Lazarus; not the Lazarus we remember that he raised from the dead. Of course the rich man lived in luxury; Lazarus laid at the city gate; he was covered with sores, even dogs came & licked his sores. He longed to eat what fell from the rich man’s table.
Both men died. The angels carried the beggar to Abraham’s side, which we can assume is heaven. The rich man was buried & found himself in hell; he looked up & saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus at his side. Verse 24 says, “So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me & send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water & cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ Verses 25-31 describes the remainder of their exchange. But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here & you are in agony. And besides all this, between us & you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have 5 brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses & the Prophets; [today, we call this the Old Testament] let them listen to them.’ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses & the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
This passage illustrates that there is life beyond this earthly life. In fact, it has 2 dimensions – heaven & hell. Where we spend eternity is a matter of choice -- More about this later.)
. . . “Some people would not be comfortable with the word religious or mystical. I prefer to use the term spiritual when we discuss this. And yes,” said the Cancer Conqueror, “in my experience, cancering becomes very much a spiritual journey.”
“Then please help me understand this part,” said the man.
“As you begin to choose the spiritual path, you’ll also begin to recognize the breadth & depth of that choice. It pervades your entire life experience.”
(To be clear, there is but one spiritual path. In John 14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way & the truth & the life. No one comes to the Father EXCEPT THROUGH ME [emphasis added].”
John 10:7, 9 “Therefore Jesus said again, ’I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in & go out, & find pasture.’”
Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate & broad is the road that leads to destruction, & many enter through it. But small is the gate & narrow the road that leads to life, & only a few find it.”
1 John 5:20 tells us, “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true - even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”)
“I can best explain this by starting once again with beliefs. This time beliefs are not about illness. They are about life. There are certain core convictions & foundational beliefs that profoundly affect our life experience in virtually every aspect. They do much to determine the quality of life on all levels. . .”
(Ephesians 3:16-19 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted & established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide & long & high & deep is the love of Christ, & to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”)
“Okay,” said the man, “what are they?”
“. . . In short, the first core belief asks the question, Is there a God?
“I encourage you to choose a healthy conviction here. I encourage you to believe there is a God who knows us & loves us, & God loves us even though God knows us!”
“That’s a healthy choice?” asked the man.
“Very healthy,” said the Cancer Conqueror.
The man is not very comfortable with anything religious & doesn’t know that much about God.
“You do know that there is something outside yourself, don’t you?” asked the Cancer Conqueror. “After all, you didn’t make this world. And I didn’t create the universe. Certainly there must be some kind of power outside you & me. Would you agree a greater intelligence is behind our existence?”
“Well, from that standpoint, there must be something,” said the man. “But does that mean ‘God?’”
“. . . For the moment just accept that there is ‘something’ that is a higher power. We call the power God. Let’s look again at the core belief. There is a God who knows us & loves us, & God loves us even though God knows us. First, there is a primary conclusion, an affirmation, a conviction, that acknowledges a power behind our existence. There is a God of the world.”
(Psalm 102:25 “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.”)
The Cancer Conqueror continued, “The second part of our core belief states that there is a God ‘who knows us.’ The implications of this statement are significant. Not only are we saying that there is a God but we are also affirming that this God is aware of you & me as individuals. You are known to God personally, by name, by thought, by spirit, by all ways that God can identify & recognize us. This is no abstract power – this is a personal, one-on-one relationship with the central creative force behind everything that exists.”
(Psalm 139:13-14a “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully & wonderfully made.”)
The man was thoughtful. Even though he didn’t speak, the Cancer Conqueror could sense his attentiveness.
“Now take our core belief another step. The belief goes on to say, ‘and God loves us.’ Imagine that. The very power that created everything in existence knows & loves us! Wow!”
The man smiled at the Cancer Conqueror with enthusiasm. . .
The Cancer Conqueror went on. “Let’s complete our look at the core belief. It ends by stating, ‘and God loves us even though God knows us.’ This means that even when we don’t perform to our potential, we are still loved. In the eyes of the creator of all, we are not what we do or don’t do. We receive God’s love simply because we are God’s creation. God chooses to love us as we are!”
(Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned & fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 6:23 tells us, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Yet, Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for our sins.” We can be released from the guilt & penalty of sin by confessing & repenting of it – agreeing with God that we need His Grace to forsake our sins. I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful & just & will forgive our sins & purify us from all unrighteousness.” This is a free gift of God’s grace, when we place our faith in Jesus Christ. He paid the penalty for our sins; we just need to ASK, for this free gift to be ours. That’s the ultimate gift of love!)
The man said, “But I don’t see how this influences my cancer journey.”
“All this acknowledges the fact that God is for us! God wants our total wellness. Our task is one of alignment, to become attuned with the messages cancer is sending us, to make the required changes, & to accept God’s love & direction for our lives.”
(Matthew 5:45b “He causes his sun to rise on the evil & the good, & sends rain on the righteous & the unrighteous.” Romans 2:11 says, “For God does not show favoritism.”)
The man snapped, “How can that be? If God is for us, why did God give us cancer?”
The Cancer Conqueror paused & smiled that serene smile. She understood how critical her next words would be. “I don’t believe God did give us cancer,” she said. “My belief is that this illness is not God’s will but is actually a deviation from God’s will. In fact, I now believe that those things bring sorrow, distress, calamity, & even suffering are ultimately present in the world not as God’s will but as a result of our misunderstanding of God’s will.”
(Ezekiel 18:32 states, “For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. . .” Physical death was a penalty for sin, in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:19c “for dust you are & to dust you will return.” Pain in childbearing was increased, & the ground was cursed with thorns & thistles. Adam & Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, because of sin. This was not God’s original plan. It happened because man misunderstood God’s will. Thousands of years later, we still have the same problem. These things are a result of the fall of man, but God is a loving God who sees our sorrow & cares deeply for each of us. Psalm 89:14 says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.” There is such an amazing balance found in God!
There are numerous instances of Jesus healing individuals & even crowds of people with all kinds of sickness & diseases. He also gave his disciples power to heal. If we have Jesus Christ in our lives, Paul offers a different perspective on our suffering, sorrow, distress, & calamities, which are unavoidable, if we are human. Romans 5:2b-5 “And we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; & character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Don’t misunderstand what is meant by the word rejoice. It DOESN’T mean to be happy about your suffering! I will remind you again that the word happy comes from the word “happenstance,” meaning our feelings depend on what happens to us. But rejoicing is expressing joy. Joy is a sense of well-being, a sense of security, a sense of peace, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS TO US. Joy is the feeling we want to achieve. Joy is FEELING SECURE & CONTENT in every situation, in every challenge & in every way, KNOWING THAT GOD IS TAKING CARE OF US, even in the most difficult of days. Many verses give us reassurance that God’s love is secure. Jeremiah 31:3b says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” In Hebrews 13:5b “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” The apostle Paul had surely learned the lessons he spoke of in his letter to the Romans, when we read what he wrote in Philippians 4:11b-13; “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, & I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any & every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”)
“Well, maybe,” said the man, “but it seems to me that God at least allowed the cancer.”
“Perhaps,” said the Cancer Conqueror. “But even that is not the perspective you’ll need to conquer cancer. The key is to understand the message. Grasp this. Cancer is really an opportunity, perhaps even God’s direction, for us to change. I often think of cancer as a gift, a valuable opportunity to reshape life. And when I began to understand the depth of this truth, my whole thinking about God & life & cancer changed.”
The Cancer Conqueror talked about the disappointment with God & the questioning many patients feel & the fact that it is a healthy sign, if they are positive doubts. The Cancer Conquer helped the man put these in perspective. “I suggest you don’t interpret cancer as a sign that God has abandoned you. Believe this. God does care for us, God will help us, now & in whatever lies in our future. What is required is a patient response that puts us back in touch with the message of cancer.”
(Romans 8:31b “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Hebrews 13:5c “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”)
The second core belief has to do with the nature of our life experiences. “Life is a loving teacher.
“If God loves us," continued the Cancer Conqueror, "God will want the best for us. God will lovingly guide & direct our paths. Thus, through our life experiences – both pleasant & unpleasant – lessons are going to be taught."
“See," said the man, "this is the point, I have trouble believing that a God who is lovingly trying to teach us would be so cruel as to cause or even allow cancer. That’s simply not loving.”
(In John 11 the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead is related. In verse 4 his sisters, Mary & Martha, meet Jesus to tell him their brother is sick & may be dying. They ask him to come to see Lazarus. Jesus tells the sisters, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Well, we know that Jesus delayed in arriving at their home & Lazarus did die before He arrived. However, Jesus raised him from the dead, which accomplished what He promised, in verse 4. God’s ways are not our ways.
John 9:1-3 relates this story of Jesus: “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’” A few verses later, we read that Jesus heals the man so that he is able to see, for the first time in his life!
These 2 examples have the desired outcomes. What about cases that don’t result in the desired outcome? 2 Corinthians 12:9 tells us, “But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.” God’s grace will always be sufficient for the challenges we face in life. I’ve found this to always be true in my own life, when I put my trust in God. It gives me reason to boast about God’s grace & His power, because I know I’m unable to handle the challenge on my own!)
“Now think," continued the Cancer Conqueror firmly, "of the consistency with the earlier belief that cancer is a process & a message to change. Some lessons that God lovingly gives, or even allows, are pleasant. Other lessons are anything but pleasant. Yet all teach, guide, & direct our lives. Perhaps there are times when we get so off the spiritual track that the only way God can gain our attention is through an event that is nearly catastrophic."
“This sounds like the vindictive, judge-type God that I was taught about as a child," said the man.
“Not so," countered the Cancer Conqueror. "God is not some unreasonable & impulsive sovereign. This is a loving God who has created a universe that runs by natural laws. This loving God doesn’t give out punishment on a whim.”
(We are not promised a “charmed” life when we choose to follow Jesus Christ. Instead, we are given the promise of Romans 8:28, as cited earlier. We are also promised: “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death not life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39.
Many people cite the 23rd Psalm as a favorite passage of Scripture. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod & your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness & love will follow me all the days of my life, & I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” I certainly understand why people appreciate this passage, especially the beginning & the end, but have you considered what is sandwiched in the middle? Why does your soul need to be restored? What’s this about walking through the valley of the shadow of death? Doesn’t that sound like a cancer diagnosis, another life-threatening condition or accident? What about fearing evil? And what about having enemies? Did you plan on all of these when verse 6 says, “Surely GOODNESS & LOVE will follow me ALL the days of my life”? I think we have to go back to the beginning of the Psalm & to Romans 8:28 for the answer.)
“But God is omnipotent," said the man. "God can do anything God wants to do."
“Certainly," said the Cancer Conqueror, "but also recognize that God has put in place the natural laws that run the world. And God seldom breaks those laws. They are the natural order of this world. It’s healthy to believe that even cancer is a message for us to become more aligned with spiritual laws. That is what all of life is trying to teach us – to become more aligned with God’s will.”
(Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart & lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, & he will make your paths straight.”
Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you & teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you & watch over you.”)
“That’s hard for me to accept," the man said.
“Think of it this way then," said the Cancer Conqueror. "Illness & health send us messages, both negative & positive. Both messages tell us how we are doing. Health, happiness, peace, joy, & love are all intended as messages that we are doing well. Illness, & pain – both physical & psychological – depression, fear, & despair are all negative messages that are intended to bring us back on course. All are loving teachers."
The Cancer Conqueror continued, "Simply stated, if you believe, either consciously or subconsciously, that God created people as inherently evil, you will consider yourself unworthy. And unworthiness certainly is not the perspective of wellness."
“So then," said the man, "what is that wellness perspective?"
“I encourage you to hold firmly to the conviction that people, at the very core of their being, have unlimited potential for kindness, goodness, & gentleness – particularly as they connect with God’s awesome presence. I also encourage you to believe in people’s ability to love. Perhaps the message behind cancer is that God can change people! Perhaps the real message of cancer is threefold: Love God, love others, love ourselves!"
“But there is so much evil out in the world. How can you say that people have the capacity for unlimited kindness, goodness, gentleness, & love? I think this is very much at odds with actual experience," said the man.
The Cancer Conqueror smiled. "Remember the central lesson of live – unconditional love?"
“Yes, I do," the man answered. "It was a huge leap in personal growth for me. But how does it apply here?"
“Let’s review," said the Cancer Conqueror. "First we looked within to realize that we do not have some terrible central flaw in our being that makes us hopeless. Next we looked around & realized that others were just the same, & that we could learn to accept them as fellow human beings, even though we may not approve of their behavior. And finally we focused on our role – to be loving & forgiving without expecting anything in return."
“Yes, I know," said the man. "That liberated me. But I still don’t see your point."
(Galatians 6:7c “A man reaps what he sows.”
Matthew 22:37-39 “. . . Love the Lord your God with all your heart & with all your soul & with all your mind. This is the 1st & greatest commandment. & the 2nd is like it; Love your neighbor as yourself.”)
The Cancer Conqueror shot up a prayer for guidance.
“Just as you have been liberated by extending unconditional love to yourself & to others, know that a loving God is extending even more & greater love to you."
The Cancer Conqueror paused for several seconds. "And even though our behavior may not always match our potential, even though our capacity for kindness, goodness, & gentleness is not fully realized, we can receive God’s love because God loves us for who we are, not for what we do!"
Another long pause. "Because of God’s great love, we are still acceptable even though we may be imperfect.”
(This is precisely the message of John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one & only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”There is no discrimination here; eternal life is available to ANYONE who believes in Jesus Christ.)
The Cancer Conqueror just stopped & fixed her gaze directly on the man’s eyes. The long silence was finally broken by the whisper of the man himself. "Imperfect but acceptable."
The Cancer Conqueror didn’t say a word. . . She could sense a transformation under way.
The man sank back in his chair. "Nobody ever explained it like this before," he whispered. "A loving, personal God, the creator of all there is, life as a loving teacher, & people who are not rejected because of their imperfections.
“I’m not perfect, but I am acceptable. I am loved," he continued in a hushed voice. "I can’t tell you what this means to me." He paused again. "This is the first time in my life that I have experienced nonjudgmental, unconditional love."
The Cancer Conqueror spoke. "This is a love that heals. Accept it. This love is the gateway to knowing personal peace. This love ultimately conquers cancer. And this love often cures it too.”
(Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in YOU [emphasis added].” Proverbs 14:30a “A heart at peace gives life to the body.”)
More silence. The man was meditating. At last he asked, "There are no guarantees on this path, are there?"
“If you’re looking for a sure cure on the purely physical level, nobody can offer you one with integrity. But on the spiritual level, the answer is right before you. You are known. You are loved. You are acceptable. Yes. It’s guaranteed."
The two sat quietly. The man felt a sense of peacefulness that was completely new to him.
“This will quickly bring you to a point of realization: You & I are completely dependent on God. Everything, including life & health & all provision, even every breath we draw, is another gift from God. When I became aware that God is my complete source,” said the Cancer Conqueror, “I turned to the God of the Scriptures. Here I discovered the special power of trusting in God’s goodness that could be found nowhere else.”
(Philippians 4:13 Amplified Bible “I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me – I am ready for anything & equal to anything through him who infuses inner strength into me, [that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].”)
“This," said the man, "is the very point with which I have so much trouble. Can I really believe? Can I really trust God?”
(Psalm 145:13 “The Lord is faithful to all his promises & loving toward all he has made.” Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge & strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way & the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar & foam & the mountains quake with their surging.”)
“Yes, you can," said the Cancer Conqueror. "You can trust God completely. But don’t expect God to do it all for you. I want you to nurture trust in 3 physicians. Trust the physicians of the body, your medical team. Trust their competence & their integrity to do all you consent to on the physical level. Trust [the innate ability God has built into your body’s immune system to function in conjunction with your spiritual, psychological & emotional wellness] to generate physical healing. And trust the spiritual physician, the God who loves you & gives you true peace."
“Why not just pray for God to perform a miracle?" asked the man.
“God could," said the Cancer Conqueror. "We certainly want to allow for that. And God sometimes does that. But the natural laws by which God governs are seldom broken. Law-of-nature-defying miracles are certainly the exception. But law-of-nature-consistent miracles are happening every day. You elicit them when you trust & align with God’s will. God is not lessened because of that. . ."
Both were quiet . . . Finally the man said, "You know, I have a sense of calm – of deep peace right now. I’ve never experienced this before. This is entirely new to me. In fact, I sense it’s a new me."
The Cancer Conqueror smiled. This was the place she had hoped to bring the man.
“Peace is the goal," she said softly. "Knowing God’s peace, even if we have cancer, that’s what it means to conquer the illness [emphasis added].
“Our goal is peace with ourselves, with others, & with God. That goal is achieved by implementing the very things you have studied in your journey – believe, resolve, & live!
“When the goal of peace is achieved, it may be temporary. In fact, try not to relate peace to time at all. It may be difficult to achieve peacefulness for more than a few minutes at a time. If so, don’t be discouraged. It is the journey, not just the destination, that is the aim."
“I think I’ve heard that principle elsewhere," said the man. "Is that why everyone keeps referring to the ‘cancer journey’?"
“Exactly," said the Cancer Conqueror. "It’s a journey in search of God’s peace. And the sooner you make it a live journey, the sooner you will benefit from the lessons & come to experience your own peace."
. . ."Cancer is asking you to change. It’s a call toward a new life. You are called to be someone. You are called to do something. You are being called into a transformation. Pursue that call. Within it will be your reason for living.
“Don’t be driven," continued the Cancer Conqueror. "Be called. Take the time to listen & respond to the call."
“That call," asked the man, "is it centered in loving & helping others?"
“You know it is!" said the Cancer Conqueror. "Your call will take the form of love toward self, love toward others, & love toward God. And you’ll know you are succeeding when what you think, what you say, & what you do are consistent with God’s directions."
Again the 2 sat in silence. There was a deep peacefulness in their presence. The Cancer Conqueror prayed. The man was listening to that call from within.
Finally the Cancer Conqueror spoke again. "The achieving is in doing. Go & do."
There was another silence. Then the 2 stood & embraced. And the man left silently. God’s peace was with him.
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This narrative is followed by an instructional portion titled:
Transcend: Attaining Spiritual Connection
It is easy to lose sight of the spiritual component of life. We struggle with cancer, forgetting that pain can be an opportunity for spiritual awakening. We hope the wonders of modern medicine will restore our vitality. Yet we forget that the root definition of health is wholeness, which includes mending the spirit.
After personally working with thousands of cancer patients, I can report without equivocation that nurturing a deeper spirituality is central to healing. It’s awesome & predictable; when people move beyond medical care, diet, exercise, stress management, they invariably come to the journey of the soul. It is often a turning point, for this is the terrain of healing.
You & I live by & in the gift of God’s goodness. We do not have to entertain the nagging thoughts of fear that create dis-ease. Even in the midst of cancer, especially in the midst of cancer, I encourage you to acknowledge God as your complete source. Become consciously aware of that powerful connection. Therein is found God’s peace. Therein is healing of the highest order.
The peace we are all seeking cannot be found in merely knowing ABOUT God. We only discover & experience it in a personal relationship with Him.
Visit one of these sites if you want to know how you can accept Jesus Christ as your Lord & Savior:
http://www.cbmc.com/gospel/ Steps to Peace With God
http://www.campuscrusade.com/fourlawseng.htm 4 Spiritual Laws from Campus Crusade for Christ
If you make a decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior or decide to rededicate your life to Him, I would love to celebrate with you. Please send me an email to let me know of your decision. You can also feel free to ask me any questions that may have come to mind as you have read this chapter. There’s nothing that can compare with God’s unconditional love & forgiveness! His peace is beyond description [Philippians 4:4—8]! If you have never experienced it, you don’t know what you’re missing. Come on & join us. There’s ALWAYS room for one more in the family of God!
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