David Speaks: "God Will Provide A Way"

David, a Year One double-degree student from SMU, recently contracted cancer, but regardless of the challenges, he remains strong and faithful and encouraging to everyone.

1 Cor 10:13:
And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. '

I think this has always been one of my all time favourite verse in the bible.

As I look at the entire Old Testament, I find that this message is very clearly expressed in many ways.

From Abraham to Issac to Jacob to Joseph, down to Moses then to David and the prophets that come after him, this message is being preached over and over again.

GOD is faithful and he will not put someone through something beyond what he can bear.

When I found out that I was diagnosed with colon cancer, it definitely came as a surprise to me. My parents kept me in the dark for quite a while as they were afraid I will have a bad reaction to it. But I took it surprisingly well. I was not sad nor depressed although most people in my situation would have pictured the end of the world. At that time, the temptation and tendency was for me to blame God for what happened to me. Why? Why me? Why now? What have I done wrong to deserve all this? It is so easy to lose faith in God and doubt his goodness and blessings in my life. Yet I chose not to see the cancer for what it is. I knew that God was trying to tell me something through it.

Even before I knew it was cancer, during the days when I was struggling with anemia and pain in the hospital, I knew that God was trying to speak to me through my sufferings. Maybe I was too in control of my life, maybe I was trying to achieve too many things at the expense of my physical body. I was humbled when I committed my free time to pray to God to relieve me of the pain and sufferings. I realised it was a long time since I had such an intimate time with God, since I relied on God. I was reminded how vulnerable life truly is, one illness can paralyse us totally and yet I rather put faith in the strength of this weak body than in God, who is almighty. What was I doing? I was humbled. My broken body lay before Him as I seek comfort and courage throughout my hospital stay.

I thank God that He pulled the plug for me. For I know I will chiong and tahan and chiong again and before long, I may even have landed up dead, without knowing why. To me, God has protected me from something worse. At first, I dunno what, I just knew he was protecting me from something far worse. The verse in 1 Cor 10:13 rings loudly in my head, that God will not put me through what I cannot bear. Thus, my faith tells me that God will always have a way out for me. I chose to trust in God. I dun think I can trust in anyone else greater. Knowing about my cancer hasn't changed anything. I still feel I should trust in God's plan for me.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declared the Lord,"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Through this period, I see not the suffering that has been brought but life that has been given by God to my family. That brought tonnes of joy and encouragement to me. If I have to go through this for my family to be saved, it is all worth it. If I had focused only on my condition, I would not be aware of this blessing God has given to my family. This has indeed convicted me so much more that God is FAITHFUL!!! He has a grand plan for each and everyone of us. It may not be smooth-sailing, plagued with obstacles and sufferings but He promised that it is whats best for us.

Now as I go through each chemotherapy treatment, I strive to hold firm to this faith, to this God. I dunno what is to come, I dunno how things will turn out. I dun want to let cancer control my life. Only God can and should be in control of my life. I know I just need to trust and obey.

Praise God for Campus!!!