The Physical Battle
Tests, tests, tests…I hope I pass!
I can’t believe how many medical tests you NEED to have done when you are being diagnosed with cancer or are determining treatments! I had Cat scans, MRI’s, PET scans, many blood draws, colonoscopies, Mammograms, EKG’s, X-rays, bone scans, the list goes on and on….I’m sure that you can relate!
The tests are sometimes a challenge, or the preparation that is required before they can be administered, but, the hardest part of the test is waiting for the results. Will I pass? When you are waiting on test results, time seems to crawl by. I really do not like the inactivity that waiting requires. If there was just something to DO, it would make the waiting so much more bearable. This was my complaint one day as I was hiking with my daughter and future son-in-law. He is privileged to be a son of a preacher and he had some wonderful insight that made this whole waiting process take on a new and more purposeful meaning.
His insightful message included a sermon that his father taught one Sunday. It was based on Isaiah 40: 31 which says “Those who wait on the Lord, will renew their strength. They will soar on eagle’s wings, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” I already loved and was encouraged by this scripture because during the chemotherapy sessions there were so many days that I struggled with having strength to do the daily things. But, the lesson on waiting was a wonderful gift.
The word “wait”…a very “bad” word in my mind, has another meaning in this passage. The word was a fishing term, used to describe the way fisherman will tie weighted glass balls into the fishing net. The lesson is that in order to get the glass balls to anchor the net, the balls must be tied into the netting in such a way that they cannot slip out. This required the tying of many knots. The knots had to totally surround the ball in order to keep it in place.
This is a beautiful picture of how we can WAIT for the Lord. The glass ball represents our troubles. The knots are the scriptures and promises of God that we can surround our troubles with. As we wait, we are to search the scriptures and claim the promises that we are privileged to have as God’s children. This was a much more welcome definition of waiting than the passive meaning of waiting that had always been in my thoughts. I loved the plan of seeking, finding and claiming scriptures that could surround my troubles and keep me busy while God was busy fulfilling them.
This was such a freeing concept to me, and I spent many hours and days finding these promises from God and tying them around the cancer. I cannot begin to tell you how much this helped grow my faith and how much it helped me keep my focus on my Savior. After all, He is the one who can heal me and answer all my requests. While I waited, I was busy searching for His promises for me.
I will share with you some of the treasures I found to tie around my troubles, but I want to challenge you to try this out for yourself. It will bless you forever.
Psalm 139: 13-14, 16 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. All the days (even cancer ones) ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James 4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.
Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
I hope waiting will not seem so hopeless and I pray you pass all the tests with flying colors!
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