One year ago today, I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. It's hard to believe that it has already been a year, and it's weird how normal life has been for most of that year! I have experienced no physical hardships, and no one would know by looking at me that I had/have cancer. It is constantly on my mind--not in a bad way because I worry or stress about it, but because I am very aware of it, and its presence has affected choices I make in almost every area of my life.
There are many things for which I am thankful. I praise God for the people He used over the past year to bless me and my family. I'm thankful that I have experienced no physical suffering whatsoever, and the mental/emotional stress from having cancer has been minimal. I have gained a lot of knowledge that I may not otherwise have gained. Having cancer has deepened the meaning of self-control, God's grace, and His holiness.
I have been very encouraged by reading the Psalms. So many times David was under duress and expressed his feelings of despair and helplessness...but he always followed the indication of his emotional state with his belief in the unchanging attributes of God--His love, faithfulness, steadfastness, righteousness--and praised God despite his situation.
Psalm 54:4 Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the upholder of my life.
Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the
righteous to be moved.
Psalm 59:17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God
who shows me steadfast love.
Psalm 63:3 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.
A common sentiment I've heard expressed to me by other people goes something like this, "I agree with what you're doing, and I know you're probably right, but I just don't know if I could do it!" On the one hand, I do understand because it can be intimidating to stand up to the medical establishment, plus choosing to eat healthy when constantly surrounded by the temptation of unhealthy foods is always a challenge. But on the other hand, I feel that it's not really as hard as people think. Educate yourself and then follow the best course--simple, really. It concerns me that so many people seem to think that I'm doing something that they would never be able to do! Really? Making healthy changes is harder than going through chemo and radiation and suffering all those nasty side effects for months on end? Not in my opinion! For me it comes down to self-control and God's grace--neither of which I possess in and of myself.
Choosing to eat healthy foods instead of unhealthy foods is no different than choosing to go to work or school when you'd rather stay in bed, or choosing to be pleasant to others even though you're grumpy, or choosing to do your work when you'd rather be doing something else. Obviously, some choices are easier than others, but making any good choice becomes easier the longer you do it. It's not like I have some super-human strength that the rest of you don't have. I have simply used the brain God gave me, educated myself, and chosen to follow the path I think is best.
It is also obvious and expected that none of us sin-depraved humans make the right or good choice every time. At times we give in to our sinful nature and rebelliously choose to indulge our flesh. We fall. We fail. But we don't give up. We repent, ask forgiveness, and get back on the right path. Which brings me to the second aspect, God's grace.
My pastor has long taught that God's grace is more than just His undeserved favor, especially in regards to salvation; it is God's enabling. Not only does God enable us to seek His salvation, His grace enables us to do what He calls us to do minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day. He enables us with His strength to choose right over wrong, to get through difficult trials by trusting Him, to say no to sin and yes to Him, to put others before ourselves. Since we can trust God to enable us in the big things, than why do we think He won't enable us in the "little" things...like saying no to junk food and yes to fruits and vegetables; like refusing processed food and choosing to eat whole, raw, real food; like choosing to exercise instead of sitting in front of the TV or computer. After all, choosing to do what you know is best for your health really isn't a little thing at all. It is the huge responsibility to be a good steward of the body God gave you...and that makes your choices very important.
I also find it concerning that many believers would never think of drinking alcohol or using tobacco or drugs--after all, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit--but they see nothing wrong with consuming large amounts of caffeine (which is a drug) or sugar (also addicting), and demonstrate a complete lack of self-control where food is concerned--all of which can do significant damage to our temples. Pretty hypocritical, don't you think?
I have made my choices, and I am trusting in God's grace to help me follow through on them and to face whatever he allows in my life in the future--however many more years that may be.
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