GOD IS GOOD - ALL THE TIME

“You have breast cancer.”
 
Those are the four words that dramatically changed the trajectory of my life over the past 2 years. To say that my life has not been the same since is understandable. But for me to say that I am most humbly and deeply grateful to my God for having dealt me this hand may be quite difficult to understand, unless you’ve been where I’ve been… because what I’ve learned about my Creator and Savior in these 28 months is absolutely priceless. He is good. And He is good all the time, without question.


 
It started off as a simple sonogram to get a clear read on a small lump I’d discovered in my right breast, which at the time I was not the least concerned about. When the radiologist looked me square in the eye and said, “I think it’s a small breast cancer” I really didn’t even hear the words think and small because the word CANCER was screaming in my head. She scheduled me for a biopsy 2 days later, and a day later confirmed the diagnosis. My personal crisis had officially begun.

So how does one who calls herself a follower of Jesus Christ handle a crisis? I prayed, I listened, and yes, up until the time the diagnosis was confirmed, I begged God to please let this not be so. You better believe I begged Him and I even reminded Him that I was His dearly loved child, that I’d followed Him and served Him for decades (not perfectly), and that I loved His Word and taught the Bible for years (as if)! I begged because it doesn’t matter how much Scripture you can recite or how long you’ve been following Jesus, cancer is a very frightening thing.

Later that weekend a dear friend came to my house with a framed, handwritten note that read:

I have unshakable faith in the perfect outcome of every situation in my life,
for I know that God is in absolute control. For every crisis there is Christ!

Sounds like the perfect time to wail Why me, Lord? Funny, we never ask why me when we get something good… but cancer! So the question for my Maker was not why but what. What do you want to teach me, Lord, that You can only teach me through the instrument of breast cancer. This is where knowing and believing God goes to work because in order to trust Him you have to know something of His character. Chiefly, that He is good and that He is good all the time. God never allows anything to touch one of His own without profound purpose coming from it. He's considered it all and said yes to it because His aim in all things is to work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). It doesn't matter if the trial is cancer, divorce, betrayal, financial loss, or you name it, His goodness will be made known to you in the middle of the furnace when you trust Him.

We have a choice in how we handle the "opportunity" we’ve been given. We can feel sorry for ourselves and waste it; or trust God and use it. The Apostle Paul writes, "Be careful how you live…making the most of every opportunity… " (Eph. 5:17). My paraphrase: Making the most of now. It doesn't matter what's going on in your now, there's purpose in it. A profound purpose! I chose to use the opportunity of breast cancer, and I'm using it still. I can't tell you how many women I've had the blessing and privilege of knowing and encouraging through their breast cancer journey. My life is richer and fuller, not because I had breast cancer but, because my God has made it so. He makes it possible to be more than just a breast cancer survivor; He makes us "more than a conqueror" in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37)! With God on our side we get the overwhelming victory in our battle and He gets the glory. If I beg anything of Him today it is to allow my life to make much of Him! No matter what.

What have you suffered, my friend? What was taken from you and where is your heart in the matter? Are you making the most of your now? Surrender it to Him, beloved. Don't ask why, ask what. Seek His face and stand on His promises. Trust Him, for God is good... good all the time!

—Punky Tolson