“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.” Psalm 91: 14-15
This is an unbreakable promise from God. This promise may have been written hundreds of years ago for everyone. But right now, this promise could’ve been written today and just for me or for you.
When facing cancer, I ran to God and sobbed on his shoulders. I didn’t know what all I needed but I knew that God knew. I didn’t know what to think, what to do, how to just walk around knowing there’s cancer in my body. I also knew that no man could do what I needed. I tried to find hope in my doctors, or friends or from others who have experienced this. But really, God was the only one I needed.
This verse says that he knew I would call on him. He also promises to answer me. God does things his way and his way is always best but it is definitely not always my way. I wanted him to clearly tell me right away that yes, everything is going to be alright. Instead, he let me experience his answer. There were moments I heard his voice. There were test results or courses of treatment that showed his answer. There was new wisdom, new faith, new trust that proved his answer. Faith isn’t built in a day. Over and over I prayed, and I thanked him, but I still worried and I still feared. It was two steps forward and one step back and sometimes three steps back. Like everything else we learn, faith must be practiced. I would fail and fall, God would pick me up, dry my tears and we try again. I read the same verses over and over again, asked the same questions, hoping the same hope. I simply practiced.
When we face cancer, we are facing something relatively new and we become like babies all over again. We are learning to walk, and we will fall. And just like babies, we will get up and try again. Eventually we learn to run.
Take a moment to write down all the questions you have and wait to experience the answers. And when you do, come back and write those answers in.
Taryn OBrien-Ogg
