I was speaking with a guy that knows a guy who is an elderly man with newly diagnosed brain cancer. This elderly man has said things like "I won't be here next year". While I can totally relate to that, having been given a death sentence of 6-12 months Valentine's Day 2017, I am thankful that, Lord willing, Kelly and I are about to celebrate our third Valentine's Day as a married couple in a few days, here in 2019. I have known a few people to say words alluding to a grim outlook, that have had cancer when it looked really bad. Heck, I said it. I believe it to be a natural response to shocking news like what you can get when you have cancer. I also think that is ok, and we can certainly take that to God in prayer and to those around us.
Where it gets interesting is when we see the line between the people that dwell in the bad news of limited time, and then others that somehow seem to move past it, for lack of a better term, and do not dwell on being told that they have a limited time here on earth. One has to ask, "What is the difference between these two types of people?" Certainly, we could point to faith, but honestly, I know a lot of Christians that lament about issues, big and small, constantly. They can dwell on what has been revealed or what science has predicted, and never get past the negatives about how it impacts them to see what may be happening for God's glory. Don't get me wrong, faith is very powerful and the key element in our lives as Christians, but it can't just be faith with no effort, or no Christian would ever dwell on thoughts and words of a tumultuous situation, and would inherently just move on. This really goes well beyond terrible news about our health and can even go so far as to extend into all really bad news, and address job loss, money issues, relationships gone bad, other medical issues, and so on....each potentially having no visible resolution, hope, and no immediate solution available, in their own right.
So what is it about the people that can seem to move on and not dwell on their situation, in the face of "certain peril"? First, I think that these people are not dismissing the situation. Trust me, it is very real and present when you get shocking news. What they are doing it tapping into something[s] that is allowing them to deal gracefully with it. They often display positive attitudes and positive words in the face of danger. We don't hear them complaining constantly. They have somehow transformed their thoughts to the positive. They have obviously received what their God given faith has given them, but also importantly, they have chosen to be positive about their outlook in their actions and words...also part of their faith yes, but choice and execution is something that we own. They are simply refusing to dwell in the perceived certain peril. They have made up their mind that their God is bigger than their problem and trusted God with the outcome, even if it results in the situation resulting in the humanly perceived worst...which by the way, in the case of terminal disease lands you in paradise, in heaven with God, if you are a believer in Jesus and a thereby a saved Christian.
From a biblical perspective, the bible is full of scripture pointing us to focus on our God more than our problem. A few very popular verses:
Mat 6:34 -Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
James 4:13,14 - Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.
Prov 3:5,6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
In each case, especially when looking at the scripture around these verses, this sense of "God is bigger than what you see", is present. He is commanding us to be focused on just today. This is not to say that planning for the future and awareness of tomorrow aren't also prudent. The bible tells us to plan also, but planning and worrying are two different things. If we apply that to our bad situation, we can boil our perspective down to a few key points every day.
- Did I [or will I] do everything I could do today, to help my situation both today and in the longer term? (hint: this does not include worrying as that is futile).
- Did I pray about my situation. We could see just including this in the first bullet, but it is actually so much more than just a line item to check off. It is a core part of shaping our minds. It warrants its own item, and if we are being honest, should probably be #1.
- Did I glorify God today? What did I do or say today that would glorify God about this situation?
Suffice it to say, these things keep us busy in times of turmoil, but also keep us focused on the things that I can actually do to impact my situation, and most importantly places God on the throne in our lives as the priority and focus instead of our own perceived control and worry.
We discussed apologetics this past weekend as our headline topic, which was presented by a new friend Allen Crostic. I would be remiss if I did not mention this, as apologetics is a fancy term for making a case for what you believe. Those who provide a positive word today, as they walk through their storm, are providing a witness for their faith. They are living what they believe, and surely "doing apologetics" well.
