How Cancer Shows Me the Gospel

I don’t know that I have met a person who hasn’t been affected by cancer in some way. Maybe it was them personally or a loved one, but most of us know someone who has suffered with cancer.  Whether it was just a part of the skin that needed to be removed, or a more severe case that required chemo and radiation, or the loss of life, it seems that cancer is wide-spread. But there are many ways that through the hardship of loved ones having cancer, I have been encouraged in the good news of Jesus.

1. Cancer is no respecter of persons. Cancer is like sin in that, it doesn’t really matter how well you do, you can’t will yourself to avoid it.  Some of the healthiest people get cancer (just think Lance Armstrong!). In the same way that we can not be “good enough” not to get cancer, we can never be “good enough” to avoid the disease of sin. We are all born with it, and no working of our own in this life is ever going to erase the stain we have on ourselves. It is only by the work of Jesus on the cross that we can be washed clean to spend eternity with a perfect and holy God.

2. Cancer reminds us of the suffering of Jesus. Romans 8:16-17 tells us that Jesus suffered and if we are his children we will suffer along with him. This suffering may look different in people’s lives, but it will be there:

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

3. Cancer makes us long for the return of Jesus. Thankfully suffering is not the end of the story. Through the suffering we are longing for the time when we will be glorified with Jesus. These failing bodies remind us that this world is not how things are supposed to be. And Jesus will return to establish this world as it was originally intended to be!

If you have 55 minutes, watch this video to see one woman who decided to use her cancer to point others to the gospel and the hope that is in Jesus.