No Fear, February 23
Daily Reflections from Inside the Cancer Journey
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Written by Thomas Sherrod
“I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4 NKJV).
Does anyone remember the slogan “No Fear” that was on T-shirts a few years ago? I used to think the people wearing the shirts were fooling themselves. Everyone has fears. Sometimes the fears are more prevalent and intense.
Cancer can heighten our feelings of fear. There are so many unknowns surrounding a cancer diagnosis. What kind of cancer is it? How will I respond to the treatments? How will this cancer change my life? These are only a few of the questions that flood our minds after hearing the words, “You have cancer.”
So, how do the words of Psalm 34:4, “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” affect my daily life?
First, the Psalmist says he sought the Lord. Seeking the Lord is not always the first thing I do when fear strikes my heart. Sometimes I panic. Sometimes I get angry. Sometimes I go down a negative, fatalistic pathway. That way of responding to my fears is rarely helpful. Seeking the Lord in His Word, in prayer, in worship or through a friend is my preferred method of handling fear. I know nothing is too big for God! Placing my fears in the hands of God gives me peace and strength.
Second, the Psalmist tells us that God hears him. What a comfort! One of our greatest needs is to simply be heard and have our feelings validated. Our honesty pleases God as He hears our cries. We know God is with us and cares for us. We know God is able and willing to help us regardless of the obstacle. It is no accident that in John 15:26 the Holy Spirit is referred to as the “Helper.” God will supply whatever help we need through our cancer journey.
Third, the Psalmist testifies that the Lord delivered him from all his fears. We are heard and delivered as we seek the Lord. To deliver means to bring something to the proper person or address. We bring our fears to the proper address when we place them at the feet of Jesus. We are usually delighted when UPS or Amazon bring a package to our doorstep. How much more elated is the Lord when the Holy Spirit prompts us and empowers us to bring our fears to His doorstep?
Pray: Lord, may Your Holy Spirit help us to relinquish all our fears to You. May we trust that You are able and willing to hear us and deliver us from all our fears. Amen.
Your Turn: Imagine the Lord enabling and empowering you to pile all your fears before His gracious and almighty throne. Then, imagine the Lord hearing the prayer of your heart and accepting all your burdens into His powerful hands.
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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