11 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
In our association with Cancer Companions, a Global Cancer prayer support organisation, we have come across so many suffering with this dreaded illness. The overarching emotion is one of dread - for everyone involved and sometimes a fatalistic attitude for those suffering. The overriding question is " why me? I pray, I believe in God, what sin have I committed to suffer? Why do I have to suffer?
Cancer is not from God. Cancer is a tool of Satan to swing our mind away from God. Even if we are non-believers, it has the potential to trap us into despair and hopelessness which Satan wants us to believe.
Where is God in all this? He is the miracle provider. The healer. Our shield and buckler.
As prayer partners, we ourselves have seen and are the beneficiary of so many miracles every day. But the one top observation we have is this: While we expect or demand in our prayers that the Cancer disappear, we must remember God does not work like that.
He will not gloriously produce a miracle like healing. He does heal but not in the way we expect. Like in the quoted verse, He will speak healing in the silence, in an unnoticeable whisper. He will orchestrate the healing through His angels, people like you and me, doctors, nurses, correct medications, through grace to bear the emotional and mental havoc and the strength to bear the side effects. Like with Jonah, God did not stop the crew throwing him overboard, but he did save Jonah: by using a fish! Healing will not be instantaneous and painless - but His grace and power help us through. All this through His angels on earth who pray for us, who provide for us and who administer to our needs - medical, emotional and spiritual. People like you and me.
Jen Tan speaks from her experience when she says-
"Reading the Bible has changed my perspective on what an honorable life truly is. Before I started reading it, my life was centered around myself - my job, my earnings, my home, what I could accumulate, my hobbies, my family and my friends. Everything revolved around "me" and "mine". I measured life by what I could gain, control or enjoy.
This transformation does not happen overnight. It is a daily commitment to surrender and trust God even when we do not fully understand His plans and allowing him to guide us through our journey. I am learning to fully rely on him and that His will is not something to be feared, but something good, pleasing, and perfect, even in the midst of challenges".
So where is God in my cancer? In my trust of His word!
In the context of Psalm 91 and other scriptures, here is where God is found during such a difficult journey: He is the "Secret Place of the Most High," a spiritual refuge where your soul can rest even when your body is weary. In addition, depending on one's situation, He caters to different needs as we see below:
1. Presence in the Shadow: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me." Not an Observer, but a Companion: He is not standing at the edge of the valley waiting for you to get out; He is walking the dark path alongside you, providing "rod and staff" for comfort and support.
2. He is in the Tears and the Brokenness (Psalm 34:18) "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."
Psalm 56:8 says, "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle." God is so present in your cancer that He notices every tear shed in a hospital room or in the quiet of the night.
3. He is Your Strength When Yours Fails (Isaiah 41:10)
When treatments take your physical strength, the Bible points to a different source of power.
The Right Hand: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Sustaining Power: He is the one "upholding" you, meaning when you feel you can no longer stand on your own, His presence becomes the floor beneath your feet.
5. He is the "Great Physician" and the Comforter (Matthew 11:28)
In summary: According to these verses, God is not absent from your cancer. He is in the hospital room, He is in the science of the medicine, He is in the hands of the caregivers, and most importantly, He is "under whose wings you have come to take refuge" [Psalm 91:4].
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