Hardly Recognizable, July 26
Daily Reflections from Inside the Cancer Journey
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Written by Thomas Sherrod
“When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads” (Job 2:12 NIV).
At my mother’s funeral, an old friend approached me with an outstretched hand. I did not recognize him. It had been years since we had seen one another. He still had that great sense of humor, though. Once he began to talk, I slowly began to remember him. He was the same person—but different. Both of us had matured physically and emotionally. Life had changed us.
Job’s friends came to see him after he lost his family, his belongings, and much of his health. He was grief-stricken beyond their imagination. His countenance was altered. He was unrecognizable at first. He was the same man—but different.
Grief changes us. Cancer changes us. You may feel like the same person, but something is different. Sometimes friends and family want to turn back the clock. They want you to be your old self again. How can you? Something inside has been transformed. Maybe the illusion of immortality has been lifted. Maybe you see things more clearly now. You may have found new friends. You may have drawn closer to God. You may have become more open and vulnerable with your loved ones. Life has taken on new meaning. Your priorities may have shifted.
You may have little tolerance for small talk, trivial matters, or the drama of everyday life. You may have a new urgency to live each day to the fullest. Is all this positive talk unrealistic? I would think so if I hadn’t heard so many members of our cancer support group say, “I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, but it has changed me in good ways.” They would say they had gained a newfound appreciation for the gift of life with all its unanswered questions and mystery. My wife quit a stressful job shortly after her cancer diagnosis. She decided to prioritize her physical and emotional health. I like to remember the last part of Job’s story. We are told, “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part” (Job 42:12 NIV). May Job’s story, possibly the oldest book in the Bible, give you hope and strength. May God bless this next chapter of your life more than any other.
Pray: Lord, give me the grace to embrace the new me. Give me the courage to lean into change and resist hiding behind a mask of normalcy. Help me to know that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. You are my rock, my fortress, and my strong tower. Help me to run to You for comfort and strength. Amen.
Your Turn:
Ask God to help you resist trying to return to normal.
Ask God to assist you in embracing the new you.
Thomas W. Sherrod, Cancer Survivor
Tom is a retired hospital chaplain who works part time for Atrium Wake Forest Baptist Health System in North Carolina. He organized and facilitated a cancer support group for twenty years as part of his hospital ministry. He is married for forty-four years and enjoys his three daughters, two sons-in-law, and five grandchildren. He is a recent survivor of prostate cancer and is immensely thankful for all of God's grace and provisions through it all.
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