Don't Waste your Burdens

A friend in Ethiopia sent me an article by John Piper which he wrote as he was facing cancer surgery in February, titled "Don't Waste your Cancer." I have posted it in the previous posting (below). So many of you are carrying unbelievable burdens, and I thought we could all find hope and help in this article. I didn't see a copyright notice, but if you decide to pass it along, please include John Piper's name. I'll give his ten points here, and you can read on if you wish.

1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.

2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.

3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.

4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.

5. You will waste your cancer if you think that “beating” cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.

6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.

7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.

8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.

9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.

10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.

Please pray for me, that I will not "waste my cancer," and I pray for you that you will not "waste" the thorns, storms and distress that threaten to darken your day.

Love,
Carol