It’s Not About You, April 19
Daily Reflections from Inside the Cancer Journey
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Written by Karen Wonders
“Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15 NIV)
There she was, alone in an empty room. Although streams of sunlight crept in through the blinds that hung on her window, the room still felt cold and dark. Cynthia was on her face before the Lord. For hours, she cried out to Him. “Lord, you’ve got the wrong girl. I can’t do this again. I don’t want to fight anymore. What about my daughter? She deserves to have a mother!”
Cynthia had just learned that her breast cancer was back. And it was aggressive. She felt alone. Forsaken by God. This was just too … unfair. She was gripped with fear. She desperately wanted a way out.
And that is when the Lord spoke to her.
“Cynthia, it’s not about you.”
It’s not about you. It’s not about me either.
It’s about Him.
Jesus.
But it is so easy to forget this, isn’t it? When life doesn’t go the way we think it should. When our expectations of God don’t match our reality. When, no matter how hard we pray, we just can’t change His mind.
It’s not about us. Trouble accepting this truth has plagued people throughout the course of history. Even those who were closest to Jesus had a hard time learning this lesson. In fact, one of Jesus’ best friends couldn’t seem to get it. Peter correctly believed Jesus to be the Messiah—the Anointed One, the One the prophets of the Old Testament spoke of. But too easily, it became all about Peter. Peter had visions of an earthly kingdom. He had aspirations of Jesus leading him to political power and prestige. He would make a name for himself. The sweet, sweet kingdom.
Yet, Jesus had visions of the Cross. He knew it would bring suffering. He knew it would bring Him humiliation. He knew all of his friends would desert Him. Yet, He knew it was necessary to establish a far greater heavenly Kingdom. The sweet, sweet Cross.
Peter and Jesus were on two very different paths.
Peter didn’t want anything to do with the Cross. He didn’t want to see his friend suffer and die. He didn’t understand it. So, he did his best to keep Jesus from the Cross. Then, he denied even knowing Jesus when his meager attempts fell short. He had to learn a very important lesson. “Peter, it’s not about you.”
Cynthia, too, was a disciple of Jesus, and also had to learn the lesson that there is only room for one at the top. It wasn’t her.
There is victory in embracing this truth. Taking our eyes off of ourselves and placing them on Jesus gives us an entirely new perspective. He suffered alone, but He won’t leave you alone in your suffering. He knows every tear that falls from your eyes, for He is weeping with you. He knows it is hard. He knows your troubles. He wants you to look to Him and trust Him. Let Him use this pain to produce something amazing in your life. Embrace this place He has called you to.
Pray: Father God, in the midst of so much fear, uncertainty, and pain, it is so easy to make it all about us. We need Your help, Father. We need You to help us take our eyes off of ourselves and fix them on the Cross. You are no stranger to pain and suffering, and You will not leave us alone in our struggles. Increase our faith so that we can see past our fear. Take us by the hand, and gently lead us on this path You have set before us. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Your Turn: Where are you making life all about you? Pray for God to give you eyes to see those around you in a fresh light. Pray to love others the way He loves them!
Karen Y. Wonders, PhD, FACSM, Cancer Caregiver
Karen is the Founder and CEO of Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, and Professor/Program Director of Exercise Physiology at Wright State University. Her passion is to advocate for exercise as part of the national standard of care for cancer. Her non-profit organization provides free exercise training to thousands of cancer survivors every month (www.mapletreecanceralliance.org). Dr. Wonders and her husband have 7 children—aged 16 and younger. If you think her hands are full, you should see her heart!
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