Restoration #6 of 9-Restoration Can Be a Beautiful Chaos, August 6
Inside the Cancer Journey: Daily Reflections for Those Coping with Cancer
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Written by Justin Wood
“Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, ‘It is the Lord,’ he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water” (John 21:7 NIV).
I love to watch those videos of military members who have been on deployment and then return home and surprise their family. Maybe it is a dad who appears at his child’s basketball game. Or maybe it is the service member unexpectedly showing up at a party. The reaction of the unsuspecting family members is beautiful to watch, because they usually do not know what to do or how to handle it. They laugh or cry or just jump up and down. It is just a happy chaos.
At times, cancer can make Jesus feel distant, like a service member going away. You know that He loves you deeply and would do anything for you, but He feels distant. Bad cancer days can leave you missing the days when you could easily see Jesus showing up in your life. In today’s verse, the disciples find themselves in the middle of a surprise reunion. Their realization that Jesus had not left them is GIGANTIC! Surprise reunions bring different reactions. Let’s look at two.
1) Beautifully Calm and Cool: John, “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” wants us to know he recognized Jesus first. You may be calm and cool like John, as you realize all the incredible ways Jesus is with you in your cancer journey. Enjoy it.
2) Beautifully Crazy: Simon Peter grabs the clothes he has kept dry all night and then jumps in the water! What about the boat? The fish? His friends? Good kind of crazy. Good crazy. Enjoy it.
Regardless of how you celebrate, here are some guidelines we can glean from today’s verse:
1) Stick with your friends. Simon Peter was in a boat full of friends who helped him see Jesus. Find a friend, a loved one, or a faith-filled cancer survivor to point out where they see Jesus through the beautiful mess of Him restoring you.
2) Listen. What if Simon Peter had ignored John? Treasure the “Jesus sightings” your faith-filled friends see in your cancer.
3) Move. Once Peter heard it was Jesus, he physically moved towards Jesus. God gave us Scripture, prayer, worship, and fellowship to move towards so we can see Jesus more clearly. Maybe you need to move towards a prayer group, Bible study, or a therapist on your way to seeing Jesus?
Like Simon Peter, go ahead and temporarily “lose your mind”! I am speaking from experience here—when you are at a place in your life where you desperately need Jesus to show up and then you discover that He has already been there … you might just do a little dancing or a little shouting or a little crying or a little laughing.
Pray: Jesus, I may not always recognize You, but I trust You and I trust the friends You have given to me. Give me the strength to see You and run towards You. Amen.
Your Turn: List out the people who have spoken into your life. Contact them. Tell them how they have helped you.
Justin Wood, Childhood Cancer Survivor
Justin lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky with his wife and six homeschooled kids. Through his life, Justin has become a wonderful mix of entrepreneur, English teacher, and foreign missionary. He is a survivor of childhood cancer. Justin is very grateful for Cancer Companions and the opportunity to be a part of this devotional writing process.
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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