Chasing My Tail

Cesar Milan, noted “dog whisperer” says dogs often chase their tails as a sign of boredom and harm themselves by biting them out of habit. I see a parallel to cancer here. Shortly after receiving my metastatic cancer diagnosis a friend had sent me a book describing how to beat cancer without using any conventional therapies: no radiation, chemo, etc. Simply employ a certain type of diet and exercise and the cancer would beat a hasty retreat… for a time. What I took from the book of course was the [always] good advice to eat healthy – definitely no harm in that! I did however have to put the book down about 2/3 of the way through, realizing I was making an idol of this book and placing it far above my hope in Jesus. I was no longer following hard after Jesus; I was chasing cancer’s tail.

Again I repeat, we all want to live as long as possible. My son plans to at long last marry by the end of this year. I definitely want to live long enough to see that blessed event and hopefully the fruit of the union – grandchildren. I have to ask myself though, at what cost? To make myself and everyone around me miserable with extraordinary dietary demands that costs an exorbitant amount of money? (There could be other costs, less tangible.) I speak from experience on that, having exchanged the peace of Christ, where there is “no shadow of turning” (James 1:17) for the riches of this world that fall away and perish. When King Hezekiah was on his deathbed, Isaiah the prophet was sent to tell him he had fifteen more years. Ecstatic about the news, he immediately went out and made a foolish choice. Sadly, his last years proved to be the most trying of Hezekiah’s life! (Isaiah 39) The Lord God always has the very best plans for us.

Too often we want the security of the Christian life, but don't want to surrender “our way” of dealing with issues even if it displeases the Lord or results in our harm. Let’s consider a biblical example. When his kingdom was slipping through his hands King Saul was desperate for answers and consulted a medium, perhaps thinking anything would do, so long as he found out what he needed to know. (1 Samuel 28:2-12) One way we can end up mimicking Saul is when we practice any form of eastern mediation in hopes of overcoming a problem. Seriously think on this. The Lord doesn't want us to open our mind to “Satan (who) transforms himself into an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14) The Lord does want us to be filled with those things which glorify Him, things that are “noble, just, pure, lovely, whatever things are of good report…" Anything praiseworthy—He says; meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)  

So interesting – I was just reading a book on cancer by an M.D. who stated that wanting an immediate fix of any kind may not be the best thing for us. It can even make us worse off than before because we still haven’t allowed ourselves to go through emotional experiences associated with cancer. More on that later, but in the meantime would anyone disagree that scarred skin is tougher than natural skin? Those trials we endure shape our character and make us more resilient. The apostle Peter was inspired to put it this way…”that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ…(1 Peter 1:7) Awesome!

Some dogs can chase their tales to exhaustion. This is true for some people too – especially when suffering from the duress of a trial such as cancer. There is an innate desire to live. As a Christian, however, I want to urge anyone who will listen to remember our last breath here is only the beginning, so let's not spend our time chasing our tails.  It can simply wear you out. (I can't be the only one who s guilty of that.) 

May this excerpt from Hebrews 11 be a blessed reminder to continue chasing hard after our Lord! “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”(Hebrews 11:13-16) 

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