Friday, April 24, 2009

Don’t waste your cancer

On the eve of undergoing prostrate cancer in February 2006, Pastor Piper wrote an article that has become rather popular (if Google is any  indication).  Entitled “Don’t waste your cancer” Piper reflected on cancer and how to respond to it as a Christian.  I have simply listed the ten main points below. You can read the whole article if you wish. 

1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.

2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.

3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.

4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.

5. You will waste your cancer if you think that “beating” cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.

6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.

7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.

8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.

9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.

10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.

As I think over the past six years, I agree with Piper entirely and I believe that my cancer has not been wasted.  It has been a time of growth for me on so many levels.  I do confess that I struggle with #7 to some degree, however.  By personality I am more of an introvert and a hermit by nature.  I would much rather stay home than go out (which is the polar opposite of my poor wife).  Now, being on oxygen pretty much all of the time, immuno-compromised, fatigued, and unable to travel too far from home, this makes #6 even more of a challenge.

2 comments:

Laurel said...

I think we could use these for any conflicts in our lives. I look forward to reading the whole article.

Glenn Penner said...

I was thinking the very same thing, Laurel