Cancer – Can We Trust God?Sample

Trust Leads to Transformation

Eventually, I stopped asking “Why me?” and started asking “What now?” That subtle shift changed everything.

When I was first diagnosed with cancer, all I could see was the pain. The detour. The loss of control. But as I kept walking with God through the darkest parts of the valley, something changed. My trust deepened. My faith grew. And I started to see that this wasn’t a detour at all, it was the exact path God was using to transform me.

It wasn’t just about surviving cancer. It was about becoming someone different on the other side of it, someone more surrendered, more compassionate, more aware of God’s presence and purpose.

That’s what happens when we truly trust God through trials. We begin to see our suffering not only as something to endure but as something God can use. Trust doesn’t just get us through hard times; it shapes us in the midst of them. The trial becomes a tool in God’s hands. The valley becomes a classroom. The pain becomes part of the preparation.

Peter experienced this firsthand. After boldly pledging his loyalty to Jesus, he denied Him three times. He was crushed with guilt and probably assumed he had ruined any chance at being used by God. But Jesus wasn’t finished with Peter. In John 21 (NIV), after the resurrection, Jesus met him on the shore. He didn’t condemn Peter; He restored him. Three times, Jesus asked, “Do you love me?” And three times, Peter affirmed it. Then Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.” Peter’s failure didn’t disqualify him; it refined him. His trust in Jesus, even after falling short, became the foundation for his leadership in the early church.

God does the same with us. He meets us in our failure, our pain, our uncertainty, and He transforms us from the inside out. Isaiah 43:2 assures us that we won’t be consumed by the fire. Why? Because God is in it with us. Jeremiah 29:11 reminds us that God’s plans are not to harm us but to give us hope and a future. Even when we can’t see it, God is working.

The more I trusted God with my pain, the more I could see purpose emerging from it. My story didn’t end with cancer. In many ways, it began there. God used it to rewire how I think, lead, love, and serve. And I believe He wants to do the same in your life, no matter what you’re walking through.

When we surrender to God in trust, He doesn’t just help us survive. He helps us become. He transforms us into who we were always meant to be.

Action Step:
Write a short prayer thanking God for one specific way He has used a past trial to grow or shape you. Ask Him to continue His work of transformation.

Reflection Questions:

1. What have you learned about trust and surrender through your trials?
2. How is God using your current season to prepare you for something greater?