FIGHTING CANCER WITH GOD’S WORD

Joycelyn Chng

Cancer is a disease that is dreaded by most people, and being stricken with it is not typically something that one would expect nor be prepared for. Notwithstanding this, strike it does, not only upon non-Christians, but also upon the believers of Christ. So, in God’s sovereign will and time, I was personally hit by breast cancer last year.

While being a child of God does not exempt one from falling ill with cancer, it makes a whole world of difference to how one reacts and responds to it. Indeed, the fight against cancer must count as the most intense trial I have experienced in my life thus far. Yet at the same time, this period of trial was a most spiritually uplifting time for me. In fact, it was like going through practical training as it were, where I was able to put into practice and apply the doctrines and theology that I had learned, as well as learn experientially, in a most personal way, deeper things about God and His Word.

I therefore count it a privilege to have been put through the fiery trial of cancer. Unworthy as I am, God had carried me through and it is solely by the grace and mercy of the Lord that I am able to share how the knowledge of God and His Word had helped me through the trying period.

Sovereignty of God

“He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.” (Ps 112:7). And that was what I did—simply trusting God. No matter what the circumstances, God’s Word was my source of comfort, strength and instruction. I give all praise to God for without a doubt, it was God who caused me to remember the knowledge that I had imbibed during my theological studies as well as through the years of studying His Word. He also gave me His wisdom and grace to apply the knowledge to my situation. Several doctrines enabled me to have absolute peace in my heart, and allowed me to submit fully and unquestioningly, without hesitation, to God’s will and plan for me. One in particular is the Sovereignty of God. The thought that God is in control of even the tiniest cell in my body, and that no cell could turn cancerous if He did not allow it, brought great relief and comfort to me (see Neh 9:6; Ps 139:14–16; Jer 5:22; Matt 10:29–31). The fact that God reigns sovereignly over all things, enabled me to put my trust fully in Him. I was comforted that God knows all things; He knows the end from the beginning (see Isa 46:10). God already knew how this trial would end; my duty was simply to wait upon Him with expectancy and joyful hope. And as God has seen fit for me to go through this trial, I take as from a Father’s hand, comforted that I am His child. Job 23:10 spoke especially to me, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

Goodness of God

Another doctrine that kept me unwavering in my trust in God is the Goodness of God. Psalm 119:68 was one verse that the Lord brought to my mind repeatedly. It says, “Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.” Psalm 72:18 was another verse: “Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.” I firmly believed that my good God must have His good purposes to be fulfilled through this trial. His goodness is unchangeable. It is not measured by the circumstances that I am in, nor my physical state. Goodness is God’s very attribute, and it characterises everything that He does. This wonderful truth protected my mind from faithless thoughts. “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.” (Ps 27:13). In fact, it is often in and through trials that we become even more sensitive to recognise the goodness of the Lord in our lives.

Prayers to God

The doctrine of prayer also guided my response to the diagnosis. I was convicted that I needed to share with my pastor and the church about my condition so that they could uphold me in prayer (Jas 5:13–16). God’s Word declares that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (Jas 5:16). The fellowship of the saints is a great privilege and means of grace given to us by God, for our mutual encouragement and edification as we go through life’s joys and pains. I thank God for my family and all the brethren who laboured in prayer for me and gave me much encouragement and support. My prayer request was not specifically for healing, for I knew that God can and would heal if it was His will for me, and if He still has something for me to do for Him on this earth. However, if God does not heal, then this sickness would be a means for me to leave this earth and go to my heavenly home. It was the process of getting to the end of this trial—however it would end—that I knew I needed God’s grace to be upon me for I am weak and have absolutely no strength of my own. But praise be to God for I can “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 2:1)! Therefore, my prayer was for God to have mercy on me and grant me His grace and strength to go through the treatment, and when the going got tough, for Christ to hold me fast. I earnestly desired that ultimately, God be glorified. “Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.” (Ps 21:13). God gave me the wonderful assurance that He would surely answer a prayer that is uttered according to His will and consistent with the character of Christ (see John 14:13, 14). Other Bible verses that brought me great encouragement and instruction included Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” and Romans 14:8, “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”

The surgery to remove the tumour finally came. While God’s common grace is availed to all men (Matt 5:45), it was an absolute blessing for me to know that God’s special care was upon my surgeon as she is also His child (see Luke 12:24), and whom I had no doubt, committed the surgery to Him in prayer too. I thank God particularly for His Word, which gave me much strength and confidence as I prepared to undergo the operation. The following passages were especially precious: “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all…. The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” (Ps 34:17–19, 22); “But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.” (Ps 37:39, 40); “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Phil 4:6–9).

Peace of God

Indeed, the God of peace was with me as I lay waiting to enter the operating theatre. After I was wheeled into the theatre, His peace continued to keep my heart and mind from all fear and anxiety as the surgeon and other medical personnel prepped me for the operation. I fell unconscious shortly after the anaesthetist injected me, and it was five hours later that I was awoken by a nurse informing me that the surgery was over. Immense joy and gratitude to the Lord flooded my soul, and I said in my heart, “Praise and thank God! The first part of the treatment is done!”

I was prescribed chemotherapy, administered over the course of five months. This was followed by one month of radiotherapy. By God’s mercy and grace, this period of treatment turned out to be a most blessed one, and I experienced how the grace of God was indeed sufficient for me. God’s presence with His very own, even in the midst of the harshest storm, is the great assurance of every believer. It is enough for us to know from the Bible that God is with us in our time of suffering (see Isa 43:1, 2); yet God condescends to show us through big and small ways, the depth of His love for us. Each day did not go by without God’s loving reminder of His goodness, faithfulness and abiding presence to cheer, comfort and guide. We do have a living and true God who is very real in our lives, and a perfectly inspired and preserved Word to tell us about Him. Through various ways, God gave me the precious opportunity to witness the veracity of His Word, and see Him working all things “for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28).

Several things that had come about due to this trial greatly encouraged and assured me of what I already knew—all things come to pass according to God’s counsel and purpose (see Isa 46:9–11). I trusted that God has His good purposes to be fulfilled through this sickness and that He would reveal them to me by and by, in His own good time. In fact, I did not have any particular expectations concerning this for it was enough for me to know that God knows. I was already very thankful to God for I recognised that this trial was good for me that my faith might be tested and exercised, my life purified and dross removed, to the praise and glory of God. But God dealt most graciously with me. He showed me that beyond these, He was working out a higher purpose through this affliction.

The Lord has seen fit to preserve my life (see Ps 31:15), which can only mean that my work on earth is not done. Time would fail me to tell of all the spiritual lessons that I have learned, and all the wonderful things that God has done for me. But this one thing is sure: When God puts us through a trial, He will surely provide for us the grace to go through it victoriously—if Christ be magnified, whether it be by life or by death (see Phil 1:20–21; cf Heb 11:35). “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” (Rom 8:37).

Rejoicing with Uncle Devan on his 92^nd birthday