blessed be the name of the lord

“The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:21

Me and this styrofoam cup have been close the last couple of days. I had ideas of what would be happening, but I was unprepared for the reality of recovery.

I had surgery to remove my thyroid and the cancer in it.

It can be tempting to feel anger or frustration at the fact that I had cancer. It certainly had not been in my plans for how my life would go. Renovate the house, raise a family, write books… cancer didn’t appear in my schedule.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

But I can’t feel that anger or frustration or despondency. Because it’s not random and it’s not chance and it’s not luck that resulted in a diagnosis of thyroid cancer. The LORD, in His sovereign and good plan, has ordained this trial, this suffering for my good and His glory.

“Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” Job 2:10

I do not hope in a cancer-free life. I do not hope in a long life, an easy life, a successful life. No matter how wonderful, life comes to an end.

My hope is in the solid rock of Christ Jesus who lived the sinless life that I could not and died the death that I deserved. He took the wrath of God that I deserved, then rose again and proved that sin and death were defeated. I trust in Him, my sin is placed on Him and His righteousness on me. Nothing can separate me from Him, not life or death, not cancer (Romans 8:31-39).

So, whatever He would lead me through, including thyroid cancer, I submit to Him for He is altogether lovely and good.

With the surgery over we now wait. Not on the doctors or lab results, but on the true Great Physician who is supremely sovereign. By His grace the surgery will have successfully removed the cancer.

But regardless of the outcome, I will sit here with my styrofoam cup and say… blessed be the name of the LORD!