the following are excerpts from his testimony: In March 2002, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Up to this point I had never been in a hospital or had to deal with anything much larger than the flu. Here I was, a minister of God having made plans for the future, and now I had to face the reality that it all could end.
Scripture states: "Man makes his plans, but God sets his path."I had to wonder what kind of path I was now going to have to travel. I did not know now if I had the next day, month, or year.
It would be wonderful to say as a minister that I stood in faith at the diagnosis of a potentially terminal prostate cancer. That was just not the case. It is often so much easier to deal with someone else's serious problem than when it is your own! I had prayed for the healing of many others and stood in faith for their recovery, but I had never experienced being on the receiving side of it for myself.
When someone is diagnosed with cancer, or any other form of fatal illness, your normal pattern in life stops. A loss of control and fear hits you with the knowledge that you are not in control and things may never quite be the same. It stops you cold, dead in your tracks. You hit a wall in your life. The temptation is to lean to natural means and search for all the facts and statistics concerning your problem. Most suggestions are in the natural and point to this book, that pill or a certain person. Because of this I started searching the internet and various references to this type of cancer. I was beginning to allow a spirit of fear to take over. But then the Lord reminded me, " I am not a fact, I am not a statistic, I am a child of God."
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
(2Tim.1:7)
The word fear has been described as the opposite of faith. Fear is the natural body's reaction to sudden or unknown events. It is not wrong to initially fear, but we are responsible for how we handle fear. Fear should never control us. Our natural response is to wonder what effect is this change going to have on our life, in my case: how long I had to live, what about my family?, what about my ministry? am I prepared spiritually, emotionally and physically? You know that God is in control, but you still have these thoughts. Quickly one finds that what was once a high priority is made insignificant.
What quickly becomes important is your relationship and need of God, your family and the prayers of your friends. Those relationships you have built up to this time are what's going to help you make it through the trial.
When I was in the doctor's office and the pain was intense, I did not need "things", I needed God to give me a reassurance and my wife to hold my hand and give me strength. Your priorities refocus to the need for relationships.
more from Rev. Ray tomorrow!
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