I had another major surgery this past week due to the effects of cancer. This was my 4th surgery since my biggest surgery in February 2014. It seems even though I am very, very grateful to still be living and breathing, effects of it in my past keep coming back up. Every time, I think this is the last surgery. I’m done dealing with it for good and I turn around and here comes the effects after me again. I half jokingly tell my kids that cancer is a plague. It’s a plague because it’s a widespread calamity that never seems to completely go away. It got me thinking this week how the cancer I had was like the plagues in Exodus. The Israelites think finally life is going to be good. “He’s heard our cries and we’re going to be set free! He will deliver us from death, sin and evil.” We are going to be free and never have to deal with these same old issues again.” When I went through surgery and chemo, I believe God heard my cries, and He set me free from death and having to deal with cancer again.
In Exodus, God decided to send plague after plague to convince Pharaoh to set the Israelites free. All people would see how amazing the Israelites God was and is! It would show the Egyptians that their gods couldn’t even begin to compare. At first, the Israelites had to learn to live with Pharaoh’s hard heart. The hardness of his heart affected their lives. Eventually, things changed.
The first three plagues the Egyptians suffered with - so did the Israelites. They lived with blood on the ground, frogs, lice…. After the third plague, God draws a line and says “enough”. This time, the Israelites wouldn’t be affected by the plague. He filled the Egyptian homes FULL of flies but “He spared the homes where His people lived.”
The Israelites, no longer have to live with the effects of the plagues that are upon the Egyptian‘s. “I will make a clear distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will happen tomorrow.” (Ex. 8:23)
How often do we suffer with difficult things in life because we live among a “mixed people”? We’re forgiven, set free and healed from it and we’re cruising along through life and, all of a sudden, that “plague” pops back up and we have to deal with it again? Just because we have faith and have been healed and set free doesn’t mean we, Christians, won’t still suffer again. Suffering is a testimony to those around you. Suffer in a way that shows people that your God is amazing. Suffer in a way that people see your cure is better than anything they can come up with!
We must suffer differently each time we deal with the same plague. It will have different symptoms each time and will need to be treated in a different way. People will watch you when you’re suffering in the midst of your plague. Suffer differently than the Egyptians. Each time you suffer, don’t let what you’ve been through change you for the worse. Show yourself to be more than a survivor! Show yourself to be a thrivor and that you are alive!! “After His suffering, He showed Himself to these men, and gave many, convincing proofs that He was indeed alive.”
At what point will I be allowed to stop dealing with the effects of cancer? When will God say “enough” and I am completely healed? I look forward to the day when I can say the Lord caused cancer AND IT’S EFFECTS, to disappear and “not a single fly remained!” (Exodus 8:31) Because I am still here, and shouldn’t still be here, I am a survivor and a thrivor! Even if He doesn’t say “Enough” till I am on the other side, I will fight every plague! Sometimes, the people with the greater calls may be the ones who have to go through the hardest things again, and again. I may not have the greatest call but I have been called and I am answering.