All Are Tempted, August 10
Inside the Cancer Journey: Daily Reflections for Those Coping with Cancer
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Written by Tom Corbell
“The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him” (Mark 1:12-13 ESV).
No one is above temptation—even our Lord Jesus. Immediately after He was baptized, He was tempted. Jesus was tempted to use power inappropriately and to worship Satan, who is a false god.
Henri Nouwen wrote these insightful words:
What makes the temptation of power so seemingly irresistible? Maybe it is that power offers an easy substitute for the hard task of love. It seems easier to be God than to love God, easier to control people than to love people, easier to own life than to love life.... We have been tempted to replace love with power.1
Control is a form of power. It’s hard to have a day when you don’t wish you had more control over your life. Wouldn’t it be nice to have control over traffic jams, food prices, and your neighbor’s dog? Then cancer comes to pay a visit, and you realize how many things you do not have control over. Fatigue, cell counts, and the stress cancer puts on your loved ones are just a few items you may wish you could control. In your heart and mind, you may know with certainty that God is completely in control of your cancer journey—but some days you might yearn to have control of it yourself.
Nouwen understood that this hunger for control is actually our resistance to falling wholeheartedly into the loving arms of Christ. It’s hard to trust that God’s control over your life is a product of His love, but it is. Loving God with abandon brings a trust in Him that makes no sense—yet creates moments of peace, confidence, and inescapable hope. Yes, cancer can still bring moments of temptation to pull back our trust. Hearing your diagnosis, waiting for a scan, or struggling to keep up at work can too easily lead us to temptation.
We all can be tempted to wonder if the lies we hear from Satan are true:
“God gave me cancer to teach me a lesson.”
“Maybe I did something and God is angry at me.”
“This is hard enough. Did God have to make my cell counts drop?”
“I thought God had plans for me, but now this?”
“God feels farther away. Does He love me? Does He care?”
As a nineteen-year-old boy in the Navy, my diagnosis of meningitis led to thirteen months in a hospital, the removal of part of my lung and a telegram to my father telling him to come immediately if he wanted to see me alive again. The days, weeks, and months blended together as pain, medications, and waiting took over my life. On more than one occasion I was tempted to angrily say to God, “Where are You? Why is this happening?” I should have died at the age of nineteen. Jesus had other plans.
I have learned that His plans are far better than mine. I don’t always understand the plan. I have learned that trusting Jesus, regardless of the circumstances, leads to purpose and peace that is far better than I could possibly imagine.
Pray: Lord, the temptation to not trust Your plans can be overwhelming. Remind me how completely You love me. Give me the courage to trust Your plans over all things. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Your Turn: When you are suffering and the devil is tempting you to believe his lies, listen to Nicole Nordeman sing “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus (Look
Up).” Resist the urge to turn away from Jesus, "look full in His wonderful face," and trust in Him, letting His love and peace cover you.
1. Henri J. M. Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership (London: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1993).
Tom Corbell, Hospice Pastor
Tom is a Lutheran pastor who has served Jesus in both North and South Carolina for forty-nine years. Six of those years he worked as a Hospice Chaplain, and he encountered cancer daily. The privilege of praying, working with and supporting cancer patients and their families is an honor.
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
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