Adversity, Faith, and Christian Clichés

“God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

“When God closes a door, he opens a window.”

“You’re never more safe than when you’re in God’s will.”

You’ve probably heard or read something like the above. Maybe you’ve said something close to one of these in the hopes of comforting and encouraging someone. I have, and I regret it.

While there might be an element of truth in these and other clichés, at best they’re not helpful. At worst they’re false. But, these bromides circulate. They fit nicely on small plaques, cookware, coffee cups, and bumper stickers.

Why do we reduce our understanding of God to a phrase or short sentence? Maybe because doing so supports our illusion of being in control. Yet, suffer something catastrophic in your life and the “being in control” idea evaporates quickly.

That happened to me last January. My anticipation of how I would fight Amyloidosis was this:

•             Set up a chemo plan and use complementary medicine alongside it.

•             Go to Mayo for a second opinion to confirm the plan.

•             Implement the plan, suffer through it, and get to remission.

•             Get and survive a stem cell transplant.

•             Extend my life by 4 years or more.

As mentioned in a previous article, while I did reach remission, my body took a beating in the process.

In January I scheduled a meeting to discuss stem cell transplants with an oncologist who performs them. Jenny dropped me off at the entrance of the clinic where he worked. Did I want the walker, she asked? I thought to myself, are you kidding, I’m going in to discuss transplants. Part of the qualification process is a treadmill test. I can’t go in with a walker. 

Moments later as I made my way to the door, I lost my balance and passed out. I found myself being helped up and cared for by staff members of the clinic.

 Was I able to handle this situation? – No. I was out of control, in over my head.

Was I able to discern the window God was providing as the door closed? – Are you kidding, I wasn’t even conscious.  

Was I safe? – Not exactly.

I can say I was embarrassed. And, I was forced to face the fact that I was not a candidate for a transplant. That was hard for me since everything I had been doing was for this purpose. I was definitely not in control, and I really wanted to be.

Adversity and suffering strips our notion of being in control. In fact, it’s often the catalyst for change and transformation.

I remember watching a movie years ago titled The Doctor. The film tells the story of an arrogant heart surgeon whose life is turned upside down after the discovery of a malignant tumor. The once in charge but relationally disconnected doctor is now a patient himself. Immediately he finds himself on the other side of the profession that previously afforded him a comfortable lifestyle and carefree life. For the first time he is associating and relating to fellow sufferers. He begins to experience empathy. His harsh circumstances lead to a transformation. He becomes more like the human being God intended.

Another movie, Regarding Henry, was made the same year (1991). The theme was similar. Henry, a heartless and aggressive attorney, is shot during a robbery while shopping in a convenience market. With a bullet lodged in his brain, he goes into a coma for several weeks. He awakens with an impaired memory. As he begins rehab, his personality, values, and interests begin to change. He too becomes more human.

The adversity and suffering in these two stories was the key that brought about change. This change could not have occurred any other way. When adversity and suffering intrudes into our lives, it ideally leads us to God.

We see this by what Paul says he went through in 2nd Corinthians 1:8-9.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Similarly, consider the story of the Canaanite woman we read in Matthew 15:21-28. 

And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

While some “Christian” TV personalities suggest that if you admit how bad things are (a negative confession) you will not experience God’s blessing and deliverance. Well, you might not experience God’s deliverance regardless of what you do or say.  But, denial is not the doorway to God’s blessing. Confession of how things really are is. Read the rest of 2^nd Corinthians. Read the Psalms.

So what’s ahead for me?

On Friday of this week I’ll be getting some blood work done. I’ll also be meeting with my oncologist to plan out the next phase of chemo therapy to keep me in remission. Not happy about this, but I don’t know of any other options if I want to stay in remission. 

I’ll keep updating as I am able.

Thanks for reading!

Curt Bumcrot, MRE