Cancer is a gift. Yup, I said it. Cancer is a gift. Now don’t get me wrong, CANCER IS STUPID. I am not a fan of that diagnosis in any way, shape or form. In fact, I hate everything about cancer: treatments, dr. visits, meds, symptoms as constant reminders, battling insurance companies, dealing with well-intended yet dumb comments (i.e..oh no! I’m so sorry Tim…I know how you feel. My uncle just died last year from cancer…), the scars that are left on loved ones, being told that you have X amount of days, weeks, years to live, etc.
Have I confused you yet? I guess it comes down to this: cancer is stupid, and God is good. When people ask me to “share my story,” they usually want me to talk about my cancer experience, how 16 years ago I was given 5 years to live and that there are tumors still in me wearing out my heart. But, CANCER IS NOT MY STORY! Is cancer what defines me? Do I own cancer or does cancer own me? Do your wounds define you? Does your pain, fear, sorrow or worry own your joy? These are not meant to be shaming questions, but revealing ones.
The diagnosis of an incurable cancer is not my story. My story is the perspective I’ve gained through this sorrow using the narrator’s lens of Jesus. My story has everything to do with who God is and who I am in light of Him.
Here is the baseline of the gift of perspective. Jesus invites us to Seek first, aim, align the rhythms of our lives with the Kingdom of God, and He will work in all things for our good. The problem for me is when I become the king of my kingdom, or my wife becomes the queen of her queendom, and we demand our way and outcome. When things don’t go as we have willed them to, then all of a sudden we conclude that God has left us or went back on His promises. When we align our hearts to Jesus who is the King of the Kingdom, then we see things through different glasses.
Sorrow understands sorrow. Pain and loss understand pain and loss. All of these things either bury us with worry or realign us with trust. Whatever you are going through today, are you practicing being the king or queen of your domain, or are you letting Jesus be the King? We can either practice worry today, or we can practice trust. What’s it gonna be? Worry is about us taking the reigns from God because we don’t believe that He will or can handle it. We live out of the overflow of what we believe!
In the 10000minutes.com of your week, would you practice trusting Jesus with all things as if He is God and you’re not? He is in love with you and knows what’s best for you. Practice Trust.
Tim Timmons is a singer, songwriter, worship leader and founder of 10,000 MINUTES, the non-profit equipping ministry led by Timmons and executed through various creative outlets such as live performance, blog, podcast, video, songwriting, devotionals, worship leader interaction, speaking, film/TV production and conferences. 10,000 MINUTES/10,000 MINUTES Kids exists to invite, inspire and equip people to know & follow Jesus all week long. To learn more about 10,000 MINUTES or to read Timmons’ latest blog, visit http://www.10000minutes.com.
For all the latest information on Tim Timmons, including music, touring, etc., go to www.TimTimmonsMusic.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
