February 9
Turn, O Lord, save my life; deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
Psalm 6:4
When we just don’t know what to do, when we just can’t figure out where to turn, we can always remember that God is still at work for us. When we feel alone, abandoned, lost in despair, we can recall that God’s love is so great and so strong, and that it will never leave us. Cancer leads us too quickly down roads of self-pity and immobilization. But God never gives up on us and never leaves us to handle the situation alone.
God of unending faithfulness and love, tell me when I forget, that I am not alone today. Tell me, show me, reassure me, that your power is lifting me up this day. Amen.
February 10
The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced; …
Isaiah 50:7a
Cancer is not a punishment for past mistakes or sins. Cancer is not afflicted upon us by a vindictive God who wants to punish us or put us to a cruel test. But cancer is an occasion for us to change and grow, to re-evaluate our habits and to find new ways of renewing our health and staying well. God uses cancer not to harm us but to help us find our strength and potential. God uses cancer to give us insights that we have never considered before. God uses cancer to recreate us to be more the people we have been born to be. God uses cancer to bless us in ways we could never expect. Our job is to look for those blessings and use cancer as an opportunity for positive transformation.
There are days when I don’t feel like this is an opportunity; I’ll be honest, dear God. But help me to see the infinite possibilities in this challenge, opportunities for blessing and not a curse. Amen.
February 11
The Lord God helps me;
… therefore I have set my face like flint, …
Isaiah 50:7b
Our innermost strength and resolve come as gifts from God. God gives us the abilities we need to stand up to the deepest challenges and fears. Cancer challenges us like no other disease. We cannot live well with cancer and face it all alone. At the very least we need the guidance of God to navigate through all the twists and turns. We need God’s all-knowing love to under gird us. We need God’s power to sustain us. We need God’s grace to carry us. We need an eternal spirit to give us what we cannot give ourselves. We do best when we depend on God. We do best when we realize that God is our greatest ally and companion.
My strength is in you Lord. My hope is in you. Lord. My life is in you, Lord, I know. I want to remember that today. Amen.
February 12
The Lord God helps me;
… and I know I shall not be put to shame;
Isaiah 50:7c
There’s a lot we fear we may lose with cancer – friends, dignity, the future, control - to name just a few. It’s frightening to consider all that we may need to give up as cancer challenges us. It can cause us to give up too easily or to retreat in ways that isolate and marginalize us. And, of course, that is not helpful. But God doesn’t want us to lose the things we fear will disappear, the blessings and gifts that bring meaning and joy to life. Instead God wants those gifts only to be enhanced and strengthened in our lives. We need to remember constantly that God is a source of incredible renewal and revival.
O God, who lifts the burdens from us, help me to accept the gifts that you offer all the time to me. I can get caught up in feeling sorry for myself and focusing on all that’s wrong. But I know that I need to see instead where you are gracing me with dignity and possibility. Amen.
February 13
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? …
Matthew 5:46a
One of life’s most complicated tasks is to overcome our feelings toward difficult people. Unresolved bitterness and anger against disappointment and hurt is very common. But allowing unresolved negativity to live on is very dangerous to our health. To achieve authentic healing it is imperative to find ways to live in peace, without resentment, and unburdened by feelings of hostility toward others. Without fail, allowing the burdens of lingering displeasure to be lifted from our hearts is a major step in building a state of wellness. When we can create an atmosphere that will not allow antagonism to take hold we will strengthen ourselves to meet cancer’s challenges in a much more positive way.
Dear God, you know where I need to grow and where I need to let go. But I don’t always realize how I need to change. Show me today where I need to start. Amen.
February 14
And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others?
Matthew 5:47a
It’s comfortable and easy to reach out primarily for those things we know best. That’s human nature. But sometimes our growth is stunted when we don’t look beyond what is familiar. When we live with cancer, and when we want to rise above cancer, there are times we need to be open to new people, to new ideas, to new possibilities and to new ways of living. Those of us who grow the most are most likely to see the potential in seeking the unexpected. This is a time to search, a time to change and a time to look in a different way at unexplored paths.
God of deliverance, deliver me from the habits that keep me from growing where I need to grow. I know that it’s hard. But I know you will help me to step out in the places I need to go. Amen.
February 15
He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together.
Isaiah 50:8a
Cancer threatens us in many ways. It can take away the good memories of yesterday as it diminishes tomorrow and robs us of the joy of today. Cancer often pulls us into a place of under-confidence and pushes us into a state of hopelessness and despair. But we are reminded that we are not taken to those places alone. God is always with us wherever we are led. God is always by our side no matter where we find ourselves. Just when we think we are facing extreme threats by ourselves, we need to remember that we have a companion with us every step along the way. God’s will is only to deliver us from distress and despair. God’s will is to accompany us each day to help us find the deliverance we need.
O God, I too quickly resort to feeling sorry for myself. But I’m looking to you today to remind me again that you do not let me experience this without your loving, comforting presence and grace. Amen.
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