Words can be life changing. I had life changing words spoken to me on March 13, 2013. Three little words spoken by a doctor. Those words were “You have cancer.” It was prostate cancer. When diagnosed early, the five-year survival rate is ninety percent. Still, those three words hit me like a ton of bricks. When you hear those words directed at you, you know that your life is about to change. The test had confirmed that I had, within my body, a few nasty little mutated cells that could kill me if left untreated. Fortunately, the cancer was found early, it was localized, and treatable.
There were decisions I had to make. At that time, I had three basic options. I could wait and watch. This adenous carcinoma might be small and slow growing. My second option was radiation therapy. There were different variations of this, and it would do no more damage to the good tissue. But there was no guarantee that cancer would not appear in other parts of the prostate in the future. The third option was to cut it out. Remove the prostate. As one general surgeon friend, also a prostate cancer survivor, told me, “You cut, you cure.” For a while I was stunned, uncertain, Through Platt, God was telling me, “Wake up! Do not forget My promise to always be with you.” That is when a wave of peace swept over me. I cannot explain it well. I wanted to weep. I wanted to ask, “Why me?” I wanted to be stressed over my future. But God reminded me that in all things, my calling was to simply follow Jesus. Like those early disciples, I was called to follow Him in the light and the darkness, the mountain tops and the valleys, the prayer garden and on Mount Calvary. Sometimes we stumble, but Jesus is always there.
In the wake of those three life changing words, I was reminded that I just need to follow the Lord Jesus wherever He takes me. I was reminded that a cancer diagnosis in my life did not catch Him off guard. When I look towards my future and see darkness, that does not stop me. I do not worry about the destination or course of life. I just need to follow Jesus, keep my eyes on Him, and experience the joy of knowing that whatever comes my way, He is with me! Read about this assurance in Matthew 4:19, Luke 9:23, Luke 14:26-27, John 12:26, and Philippians 4:6-7
