When I talk about trusting God through cancer, I am not talking about pretending you are not scared. I spent the first stretch of my own journey gripping every fear with both hands, so I understand the pull to control what feels completely out of control. But somewhere along the way — in the middle of surgeries and immunotherapy in 2017 — I learned that the peace I was desperate for only arrived when I finally let go.
This is a companion to our latest podcast episode, and I want to go deeper on one idea that can change everything about how you walk this road: the truth that, in Christ, either way you win.
WHAT TRUSTING GOD THROUGH CANCER ACTUALLY MEANS
Let me clear something up first, because this gets misunderstood. Trusting God through cancer is not denial. It is not slapping a smile on your fear and pretending the stakes are not real. Instead, it is the hardest and bravest thing a person can do — looking your situation dead in the eye and still choosing to believe that God is good, present, and holding you.
I think of Paul, who wrote some of the most peace-filled words in Scripture from a prison cell. In Philippians 1:21 he says:
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
Sit with that for a second. Paul had made peace with both outcomes because his security was never tied to his circumstances. Rather, it was tied to his relationship with Jesus.
EITHER WAY, YOU WIN
So here is what that means for you and me on this journey. If God heals you, you have more time with the people you love, more purpose to walk out, and more life to live. That is a win. And if He calls you home, you go to a place with no more cancer, no more treatments, and no more 7 am phone calls delivering news you never wanted. That is also a win.
I know how that can sound if you are in the thick of it right now. Nevertheless, this is not me being cavalier about how much cancer hurts. It is me telling you that when your hope is anchored in Jesus, the very worst your diagnosis can threaten has already lost its final grip on you.
A woman named Pamela McColloch, whose story I share in the episode, found this exact peace after a second cancer diagnosis. She stopped gripping the outcome and started trusting the One who held it. Her circumstances did not change — but her whole perspective did.
HOW TO START TRUSTING GOD THROUGH CANCER TODAY
Maybe you are reading this and thinking, that sounds good, but how do I actually get there? Let me give you a few honest places to begin.
First, tell God the truth. Trusting God through cancer starts with an unpolished, real conversation. You can simply say, "I am terrified, and I cannot carry this alone." He can handle your honesty.
Second, loosen your grip on the outcome. This does not mean you stop fighting or stop hoping for healing. Rather, it means you stop trying to carry something only God can carry. As Jesus promised in John 14:27:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you... Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
Third, keep pointing your mind back to Him. Isaiah 26:3 says:
"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."
Where your thoughts go, your peace tends to follow.
Trusting God through cancer is not a one-time decision you make and then never revisit. Honestly, it is a moment-by-moment choice, and some days it is hour by hour. But every single time you loosen your grip and hand the outcome back to Him, you will discover that He was holding you the whole time.
If you have never begun a relationship with Jesus, or you walked away from one years ago, that door is wide open today. You can take the first step through the Accepting Jesus page on our site.
No matter what you are facing on your journey with cancer or in life, remember: you are NEVER ALONE. Jesus and the Holy Spirit are always with you and ready to help. All you have to do is ask, give it all to Jesus, and let Him go to work. May God bless you — and thank you for reading.
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST — The Peace That Doesn't Make Sense - And Why That's The Point