A Lesson From Cancer

Having cancer has caused me to slow down and reevaluate my life. As I look back, I remember that this time last year I was Program Director for KWXC 88.9 FM, Producer of a local radio program, Host of another radio program, Editor of four weekly programs, Voice Over Actor for radio commercials, Creator of feature radio liners, Billing Clerk for sponsorship, Administrator for the FCC quarterly reports, Teacher of a ladies Sunday School class, Director of Women's Ministries for my church, Wife, and Mother.

I'm not listing all of that to brag or pat myself on the back. I list all of it because it is true and I'm baffled at how I was able to accomplish it all. Sadly, I will also say, that it is pretty much listed in the order of attention. My family became last on the list of daily agenda.

A dear friend pointed out to me yesterday that all of these things were not handed to me at one time, but one by one they were added to my plate. If the full plate had been handed to me all at once then I would have realized the magnitude of it all. Instead, I would gently move things around to make room for one more thing that needed to be done.

I have always heard that the order in which we should prioritize our Christians lives is God first, family second, and ministry last. I have to confess, I have struggled tremendously with this structure because my soul desire has been to be a vessel of the Lord out of my great love for Him.

I have desperately wanted to be used by Him however He chooses so, putting God first became every opportunity of service/ministry and the line between God first and ministry last became blurred; therefore in my eyes, doing service/ministry became putting God first, but in all reality, both God and my family were squeezed out.

Cancer has caused me to give up many of these titles and in the process gave me time to study His word for hours, time to listen for His voice in prayer, time to seek His face for wisdom, and time to grow in grace and knowledge. It's hard to say that cancer is a blessing; that doesn't even make common sense, but I am so thankful to have been given these lessons. I do wonder if I would have ever learned them apart from this cancer diagnosis.

If I can give anything to you, reader, let it be a warning to evaluate your service/ministry to the Lord. Please make sure you are not getting your priorities blurred. Has your service/ministry become putting God first in your eyes? Don't wait for a hardship to get things in order.

If my warning isn't enough, then let the words of Samuel to King Saul be a warning to us all. "And Samuel said, Has the Lord as great delight in burned offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king" 1 Samuel 15:22-23.

King Saul was in the service/ministry of the Lord, yet he was not in obedience to the Lord in that service/ministry. He listened to the demands of the people, his own pride, he followed the rules of burnt offerings and sacrifices, but ignored the voice of the Lord, rejected His word, and lost everything.