Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Of fear and peace...



It amazes me how people react when you tell them you have cancer.  It's as if someone has stamped the word "CANCEL" in big red letters across your forehead.  There is a look they get in their eyes, even if they try desperately hard to hide a reaction.  There is a sadness in their voice as they convey their heartfelt sorry for your circumstance.

Please don't misunderstand.  All of this is "natural" I suppose.  But it occurs to me that we don't get the same reaction if we say, "I have a headache,"  or "I have a cold,"  or even something more serious such as, "I have heart disease."

As I drove into work this morning, I really contemplated this phenomenon.  Why does cancer evoke such strong emotional reaction?  It is just a word, a label, a name.  

Why does it carry so much more weight?  Please hear me when I say this:  It is because we give it so much more weight.  If we believe our God is big enough to heal our headaches and our colds and our diseases, why are we so apt to give into the mindset of defeat that comes with a diagnosis of cancer?

2 Timothy1:7 says, "For God did not give you a spirit of fear; but of power, and love and of a sound mind." I understand the medical history behind cancer, believe me, I do!  But I also understand that God is bigger than a word.  He is bigger than a name.  He is bigger than a history.

I cannot change people's reaction to my diagnosis.  But I can change how I personally respond to it.  Ok, so it's cancer, so what?!  God is bigger than cancer!

Colossians 3:5 tells us to, "...let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts..."  Peace and fear cannot rule and reign together in the same place.

No matter what my diagnosis, no matter what name they may give my circumstance, I will allow the peace of Christ to continue to rule in my heart.  Because I know that cancer is just a name...and I know the one who is the Name above all names.  I know the one who heals all my diseases.  I know the one who conquered death and the grave, and my hope is in Him.

What have you given too much power to?  What "words" are causing you fear?  Unemployment?  It's just a word!  Depression?  It's just a word!  Uncertainty?  Just a word!  Poverty?  It's just a word!  Infertility?  It's just a word!  Cancer?  It's just a word.

God did not give you a spirit of fear but of power and love and of a sound mind, so let the peace of Christ rule in your heart today.  Trust in the one who is the Name above all names.  He is greater than anything you face today!

Only By His Grace,

Billie

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