“It was good for me to be afflicted so I could learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:71)
This is the first blog post I have written since last June of 2025. The simple reason is that last summer I was diagnosed with lymphoma and had to undergo months of chemotherapy treatments. Thankfully, the doctors declared me to now be cancer free, though I am still living with and recovering from some of the side effects of both the disease and the treatments. I was very sick in the early weeks of diagnosis and treatments. At the time I finished my medical journey, I found myself to be very weak in all aspects of my body, including an ongoing affliction from chemotherapy, namely neuropathy in my feet, legs and hands. Medical literature says that this type of neuropathy, which is triggered by chemotherapy treatments, may dissipate in time but sometimes it does not and if that is my outcome then I’ll have to learn to live with it.
My wife, Marion and I saw many happenings in this journey that we are only able to attribute to God’s hand in our lives. After being released from the hospital (a 6 week encounter) we decided that it would be quite difficult to be adequately cared for at home. Thus began our effort to sell our house and move to a retirement community. We have seen many blessings come about through this medical trial and are grateful for those lessons though painful to learn, or ‘re-learn’ to a deeper level. I was somewhat shocked to discover how shallow was: (1) my patience in the midst of waiting on others, or dealing with slow progress in my medical treatments, and weakness of body; (2) insufficient gentleness in replying to or dealing with others, (3) a shallow spirit of gratefulness for my medical affliction, and (4) a shallow depth to my humility. The psalmist expressed in the above cited Psalm that it was ‘good’ for him to be afflicted. And for what purpose? That he might ‘learn’ something. That something being specifically God’s ‘statutes’ i.e. the scriptures and the transformative implementation of them in my life and character.
A rubber crutch might look genuine on the outside but being put to use by loading it with the weight of someone needing it for walking, will reveal it to be worthless. Afflictions test the depth of our character-what is really there. The writer of Hebrews informs us that: “for they (our parents) disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He (God) disciplines us for our good so that we may share His holiness” (Heb 12:10). I suggest however, that our sharing His holiness is not something that just ‘happens’ but requires our cooperation with His Spirit, looking for the ‘good’ that accompanies our afflictions, praying for His infusion into our hearts/character which coincides with the character of Jesus.
I am under no illusion that the experience of my cancer affliction these past months has fully purged me of all my negative character qualities. Believing so, would be naïve!
NOT JUST ‘PUTTING OFF’ BUT ALSO ‘PUTTING ON’
Undoubtedly, purging’ describes the idea of removing something undesirable. Clearly that is one intentional outcome God desires for me/us when He allows or actually brings affliction into our lives. But God is not content with simply ‘purging’ our lives of undesirable or sinful traits-He wants us to ‘put on’ or add to our character those traits that coincide with that of Jesus (Col 3:5-14). This purging and replacing for the purpose of conformity to Christ character is a lifelong journey. As was said by the apostle Paul: “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:13-14).
My ‘affliction journey’ has not been pleasant and I am confident that my ‘learning’ from it is not over by any means. But I am sincerely appreciative of the extent to which I have gained a deeper understanding regarding ‘His statutes, and the transformative power and usefulness of affliction.
‘Why do you call me Lord, Lord but do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)
CJS
Just what I needed at this particular moment in our life of limping with you & the Lord toward New Jerusalem, dear brother & friend. We’re faithfully enduring, by grace alone, a different flavor of this same not-so-sweet ice cream. We will be praying from New Hampshire & soon from Oklahoma (just for June & July) & then from another state, Lord willing, for your complete healing & grace to endure until He does, trusting with you that He will answer in His perfect time & way.
I swim too often in those four shallows you named with you & look forward with you to the Day we’ll be relieved from the presence of sin as well as the power of sin. Please hug your Marion for us. We’ll look you up when we arrive in Oklahoma next month.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us. As we are walking this path along with Karin, it has been painful to hear of her sufferings. She has a strong relationship with the Lord and He is carrying her through it all. He has given her a village of saints from her church tending to her needs. We continue to pray for you and Marion as you continue to heal.
Thank you Jan. Marion and I continue to pray for both Karin and Andrew regarding their respective health journeys.
Lovely to know that you are doing well and
Praise God for your recovery. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Mona for rejoicing with me!
Thank You for sharing this!
I hope my ‘learning’ from my ‘affliction’ in some way is useful to you.
Affliction is not an easy subject, nor a path that we would normally choose to walk. Yet, God makes it clear in His Word that He uses our afflictions for His glory and for our growth. I would never have chosen dementia for my lovely wife. Yet, I deal with it every day. Whether our afflictions are in ourselves, or in one that we love, they are still real and still challenging. I can identify with the items that you listed where God is working to remove the rough edges in your life. Raising a child like Jonathan has prepared you for many of the challenges that you are experiencing in your current physical circumstances. Walking with our son through his time in prison and later on parole, refined our character and honed our ministry skills. Thankfully, God is not finished with us yet. He always completes what He begins – Phil 1:6.
Thank you Dan for your comments. Certainly you have had over the course of many years very difficult afflictions (i.e. your son) and now more recently your beloved. These kind of experiences can be so very emotionally and spiritually ‘jarring’ and troubling. Thanks also for your ‘viewpoint’ of our Lord’s use of all such afflictions in our lives and the shaping of our character.
I am so sorry that you have had to endure the horrible effects of a cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment. I lost my mom to cancer 35 yeras ago this summer and know it is not an easy battle. I commend you for writing and sharing your experience. And I thank you for this blog post. I am dealing with an affliction in my life through the form of another human being and I needed to read these words and remember Luke 6:46. Thank you.
Melissa: thank you for your comments and though I feel empathy for your relational difficulty, I very much wish and even expect that God will use it in your life in some positive way.