Top Ten Reasons I Have Joy In The Midst Of Cancer!

JOY IN THE MIDST OF CANCER

I’ve had a number of people ask me, “How can you be so full of JOY in the midst of aggressive cancer?” So, here is my answer in today’s “TOP TEN COUNTDOWN”!

1. The grace of God (2 Cor 9:8), the strength of Christ (Phil 4:13) and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit (Zech 4:6): “We NEED the Lord!”

2. The love, friendship and prayers of the saints (2 Cor 1:10-11): “We LOVE each of you!”

3. The biblical view of Lordship and submission to Christ: “It’s all about HIM!”
a. We are created for God’s pleasure (Rev 4:11; Col 1:16)
b. We died to self the day we surrendered our lives to Jesus Christ (Gal 2:20; Col 3:3)
c. We are bondservants of Jesus Christ, bought at a price and no longer our own (1 Cor 6:19-20) and rejoice in the Potter’s design for our lives (Isa 45:9)

4. The acceptance of death’s certainty: “No one gets out alive!”
a. God has determined the number of our days (Ps 139:16)
b. Life is like a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes (James 4:14)
c. Every person is destined to die (Ps 89:48; Heb 9:27)

5. The appreciation of death’s redemptive benefits: “Death transports us into life eternal!”
a. We will be delivered through corruptible death into incorruptible fellowship with God (1 Cor 15:50-57)
b. We will immediately be in the presence of the Lord (2 Cor 5:8) 
c. We will finally enter God’s rest (Heb 4:1-9), enjoy an eternity free of sin, sorrow and sadness (Rev 21:4) and death will once and for all be swallowed up in victory (1 Cor 15:54)

6. The joyful expectation of receiving new bodies: “Finally free from this body of death!”
a. Our physical bodies will be redeemed (Rom 8:23) 
b. Our mortal bodies will be given life through His Spirit (Rom 8:11)
c. Our natural bodies will become a spiritual body (1 Cor 15:44) and we will be like Christ for we will see Him as He is (1 John 3:2)

7. The rich reward awaiting the saints: “It will be worth it all!”
a. We will receive the Crown of Life (James 1:12), the Incorruptible Crown (1 Cor 9:25), the Crown of Righteousness (2 Tim 4:8), the Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4) and the Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thess 2:19).
b. We will be rewarded for what we’ve done (2 Cor 5:9-10; Rev 22:12)
c. We will inherit the earth (Mt 5:5) and be co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17) 

8. The long engagement will culminate in union with Jesus Christ: “Wedding Day!”  
a. We will bow our knees and confess with our tongues that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:10-11)
b. We will gaze upon the unveiled beauty of the Lord (Ps 27:4; Rev 22:4)
c. We will experience fullness of joy, pleasures forever more (Ps 16:11) and enjoy Him forever (Ps 145)

9. The promise of the restoration of all things: “Homesick for a place I’ve never been!”
a. He will create a new heaven, new earth and New Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-2)
b. He has prepared the River/Tree of Life, (Rev 22:1-2), streets of gold (Rev 21:21) and a mansion for us (John 14:1-3)
c. We will serve God (Rev 22:3), rule and reign with Christ (2 Tim 2:11-12) and have power over the nations (Rev 2:26)

10. Finally (drum roll, please): “In light of the fact that I should be burning in hell – CANCER AIN’T SO BAD!”

No wonder the Apostle Paul, when facing Roman execution for preaching the gospel, was so passionate in pronouncing, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” (Phil 1:21-23)

So, I ask, what’s NOT to be JOYFUL about? I’m in an enviable “Win/Win” situation! If I die from cancer, I win because everything I have longed for as a follower of Christ will be consummated, and if I survive cancer, I win because it will mean fruitful labor and (hopefully) continued progress and joy in the faith for those around me! What a WONDERFUL DILEMMA, what a LOVING GOD – what an EPIC LIFE!!  ☺