God's Grace In Cancer

I have written an article on grace that defines it a little better that what we are going to be doing in this article. Here is a link to that post.

In March of 2023, I was diagnosed with Ocular Melanoma in my right eye. Two years later, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Uveal Melanoma in my liver. A couple of weeks ago, I had a full body PET scan, and it showed that my liver tumors had doubled in size. The oncologist is telling me that I have anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. This could vary depending on how my body reacts to some of the medicine that is designed to prolong my life here on earth. However, none of the proposed medicine is going to heal. 

I have tried every natural integrative option to help with my cancer including going to Mexico for 3 weeks to Hope4Cancer. This is a very rare form of cancer, and there is not a medicine on the market that has shown any major results in healing this kind of cancer. 

GotQuestions.com defines grace as “God’s benevolence on the undeserving.” This is important for us to have a working definition of “Grace.” This definition is also important because of the last word. The only thing that we deserve is eternal damnation. “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” (Jonathan Edwards) Even though I am redeemed does not mean that I will not go through any suffering. God’s grace is the only reason I have been able to serve Him for so many years. If God does choose to heal me, it does not mean that I deserve it. It is not my right to be healed. It would be because of His grace, and His grace alone.

We struggle to understand grace because we try to filter it through our sin cursed eyes. We want complete access to the Fruit of the Spirit on our terms with no strings attached. When we view physical discomfort and sickness as a trial or curse from Satan, then we can potentially miss teachable moments given to us by God.

1. Moses and his speech issue. Look at how much Moses grew in his faith from the burning bush to crossing the Red Sea.

2. Paul had some sort of “thorn in the flesh.” We don’t know exactly what the “thorn” was, but it continually caused Paul to look to God.

The two examples above are a little less direct, but they do bring a level of discomfort that many people do not face. Let’s take it a step further.

1. God called Jonah to go to Ninevah. One way or another Jonah was going to go. Jonah tried to run, but God allowed Jonah to be thrown into the sea, and swallowed by a giant fish.

2. Paul was on his way to persecute Christians when God blinded him, then Paul had a “thorn in the flesh.”

When we are talking about the almighty sovereign Creator of all things, then we have to at least consider the possibility that God allowed me to have cancer to draw me closer to Him.

“Luke, it seems like a normal response to get upset at God. You have a family, kids, and one grand child.” There is no measurement that can give us an adequate picture of the amount of grace God showed us by redeeming His children. We are morally, physically, and spiritually incapable of ever repaying God for the debt He paid. When we live for corruptible earthly treasures, we struggle to fall in love with our Heavenly home. I can say this, because I have been down this road.

Lessons I have learned from having cancer.

1. I have learned to love my wife at a much deeper level.

2. I have learned that there are no excuses to not make disciples. Even in the midst of cancer, God still gives us opportunities.

3. God has graciously allowed me to have time to learn to love my family and others in a way that I could have never imagined.

Please don’t misunderstand me, I would be so grateful if God chose to heal me. It would be such a testimony of His grace and power over the medically impossible. However, God is still God. He paid my sin debt. I cannot think of any reason to question how much He loves me.