God’s Promises Battle the Thoughts That Pull You from God, December 9
Inside the Cancer Journey: Daily Reflections for Those Coping with Cancer
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By Karen Tripp
“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45 NIV)
A cancer walk can lead us to cling to the promises of God. But let’s face it: any prolonged illness has a tendency to turn your mind inward. It’s easy to think about your pain, fatigue, doctor’s comments, family member’s attitude, and the unknown of tomorrow. Looking at this list you might think, “Seriously, Karen, how can I NOT think about these things?” Good point. But, as you do, God’s promises are an excellent weapon to battle the thoughts that pull you from God. Here’s an example:
· Draining Thought: “This fatigue feels like it will never end.”
· God’s Promise: “I do not need to be afraid.”
This is hard for me. One draining thought typically leads to another, and so on. What about Mary? The Christmas story begins with Mary hearing God’s promises from the angel Gabriel. Later, in the midst of her pregnancy, this was said of Mary: “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:45)
Mary is not blessed because she heard God’s promises, agreed with God’s promises, or liked God promises. She is blessed because she BELIEVED God’s promises.
In Luke 1:46-55, Mary intimately shares her faith, showing us that her belief comes from seeing God fulfilling promises in the past and present—so she can strongly place her faith in Him for the future.
· Past: “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble” (v. 52 NIV).
· Present: “My spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant” (vv. 46-47 NIV).
· Future: “From now on all generations will call me blessed” (v. 48b NIV).
Mary knew God’s promises from stories in Scripture and by seeing the promises at work in her present—so she could somehow believe that she could go from humble servant to being called blessed for generations.
As a believer in Jesus, God has promised you that:
· He has given you His favor.
· He has claimed you as His child.
· He will never forsake you, so you need not be afraid.
Can you see times in your past and present when God has kept His promises? This may be easiest to see by thinking of a difficult time in your past that God helped you through. (This could be a time of financial problems, grief, divorce, illness, family struggles, etc.)
Belief is more than something to check off a list. “I believe in God’s Promises. Check.” Belief is clinging to these promises when negative thoughts come, dwelling on the power of these promises for strength, and anticipating the glory to God that will come in their fulfillment. Know this: cancer will not get in the way of God fulfilling His promises in your life.
How do you respond to such promises? Let’s look at how Mary responded: “‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled’” (Luke 1:38a NIV). Let us answer this way as well.
Our hope is not empty. Our hope in Christ is unbreakable, like His promises. AMEN!
Pray: Heavenly Father, teach me how to use Your promises to fill my mind with thoughts of You. Remind me each and every day of the strength, hope, and peace that come only from You. Build in me more belief so that nothing, not even cancer, can come between me and Your precious promises. Amen.
Your Turn: Read Mary's Song in Luke 1:46-55 and then listen to the beautiful words of “Breath of Heaven” as sung by Leanna Crawford, "... but I offer all I am for the mercy of Your plan." Will you trust in God's promises to you, like Mary, so that nothing can pull you from God?
Karen Tripp, MS, LMFT, Cancer Caregiver
Karen is the Executive Director of Cancer Companions, the premiere national Christian cancer ministry (https://www.cancercompanion.org). Her roles have included authoring several Christian books including God is Bigger Than Your Cancer and working as a licensed marriage and family therapist. She is a daughter of a colon cancer survivor. Karen uses her experience to teach how to step into another person’s struggle to help build their faith while strengthening your own.
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.
To learn more about our ministry and the services we provide visit our website by clicking here.
