A few weeks ago I heard the words no one wants to hear. The scans were clear enough to see it, the doctor was direct, and my heart dropped. Cancer. The plan was surgical and decisive: remove ten inches of my colon, repair the large intestine, and pray for clean margins. By God’s mercy, that’s exactly what happened. Pathology confirmed cancer was Stage 1, fully removed. No chemotherapy. No radiation. I’m healing well and already back to work on light duty. God answered our prayers.
This is my praise report—but it’s also a field manual. Every believer will face bad news at some point: a diagnosis, a layoff, a prodigal child, a marriage that’s barely holding together. We don’t honor God by pretending the news isn’t bad. We honor Him by facing it with faith, truth, and obedience. Here’s how.
1) Name the Reality—Then Hand It to God
Christians don’t play make-believe. When bad news arrives, say it plainly. Write down the facts. Tell the Lord exactly what has happened and how you feel. Faith is not denial. Faith is bringing the whole ugly mess into the light of God’s presence.
Straight talk prayer: “Father, this is the report. I am afraid. I need Your help. Lead me step by step.”
Clarity beats panic. When I received my diagnosis, there was no virtue in pretending. The surgeon laid out the plan; I brought that plan to the Lord.
2) Anchor in God’s Character, Not in Outcomes
God is good, sovereign, and near to His people. Outcomes vary; His character does not. Before you chase a thousand “what ifs,” settle the one “Who is.” If you begin with God’s proven character, you will withstand the storm whether He stills it today or walks you through it over time.
3) Call the Church—Prayer Is Not a Last Resort
I told my people and asked for prayer. Many of you prayed. God used those prayers to strengthen my soul and steady my steps. Scripture doesn’t tell us to white-knuckle our trials in private. Ask elders to pray. Ask friends to fast. Ask your small group to carry part of the load. Bad news shrinks when it is surrounded by the Body of Christ.
4) Seek Wise Care—Stewardship Is Obedience
It is not a lack of faith to follow sound medical counsel; it is obedience. God often answers through skilled hands and clear plans. I asked hard questions, chose a skilled team, and moved forward. Do the same in your storm: gather facts, weigh counsel, and act. Trust God and use the means He provides.
5) Pray Specifically and Persistently
Vague prayers produce vague encouragement. Ask for what you need: clear margins, a calm mind, minimal complications, provision for bills, strength for your spouse, wisdom for decisions. Track requests and record responses. Your journal will become a ledger of God’s faithfulness.
6) Fight Fear With Scripture and Speech
Fear is loud. Answer it out loud with the Word of God. Read the Psalms until your heartbeat slows. Memorize a few lines you can speak at 2 a.m. Teach your family to answer fear with truth. Choose worship when worry spikes. Your mouth will either multiply anxiety or magnify the Lord—decide ahead of time which one it will be.
7) Practice Gratitude in the Dark
I thanked God for early detection, for my wife’s courage, for a surgeon who was all business, for nurses who showed uncommon kindness. Gratitude is not pretending the valley isn’t deep; it’s noticing the hand that guides you through it. Thankfulness doesn’t remove pain, but it restores perspective.
8) Obey in the Meantime
While waiting for surgery and healing afterward, I kept doing what I could: pray, serve, encourage, and—when cleared—return to work on light duty. Obedience tightens the slack that fear creates. You don’t need a perfect plan to honor God today. You need the next right step done in faith.
9) Testify Without Turning Your Story Into a Formula
God granted me a favorable outcome. I praise Him openly. But hear me: God’s faithfulness is not measured by whether your story looks like mine. If your scan is unclear, if the job doesn’t come back, if the child isn’t home yet—God has not abandoned you. The cross and the empty tomb are your guarantees. Share your testimony and never reduce God to a vending machine that dispenses the results you prefer.
10) Redeem the Extra Time
When God extends your life, He extends your assignment. I have no interest in coasting. With the days He has granted, I intend to obey—more prayer, more service, more courage, more gospel. Don’t waste your reprieve. Reorder your calendar. Repair relationships. Remove the sin you once tolerated. Invest in eternity.
A Simple Five-Minute Drill for the Moment Bad News Hits
When the phone call ends or the doctor leaves the room, take five minutes to do this:
- Breathe and pray the name of Jesus. Slow your body, steady your mind.
- Call a mature believer. Do not isolate; ask for prayer and accountability.
- Write the facts. Separate data from fear. Facts can be acted on.
- Read one Psalm aloud. Let truth set the tone in the room.
- Schedule the next faithful step. Book the appointment, make the list, take the action.
Repeat this drill as many times as needed. It’s not complicated; it’s deliberate.
For Those Still in the Valley
Some of you are waiting on results, or you already received the answer you feared. I won’t offer clichés. Some nights are long and some tears are hot. The Lord receives both. The Man of Sorrows understands. Keep telling Him the truth. Keep showing up with your church. Keep doing the next obedient thing. You are not abandoned, and you are not alone.
My Praise Report
To everyone who prayed and checked in: thank you. My surgeon removed ten inches of colon that contained the cancer and repaired my large intestine. Pathology confirmed Stage 1 and a successful removal. No chemo. No radiation. I’m healing well and back to work on light duty. God answered our prayers.
Now, it’s time to work for Him with whatever strength He grants. We owe Him our obedience, not as payment for blessings—we could never pay—but as the only fitting response to His grace. With this extended life, I intend to follow His direction to the best of my ability.
Closing Prayer
Father, we bring You our real lives—the good reports and the bad ones, the courage and the fear. Thank You for guiding my steps, for skilled hands, for a praying church, and for mercy in this diagnosis. Teach us to face hard news with clear eyes and steadfast hearts. For those still waiting, be near and sustain them. For those delivered, turn gratitude into obedience. Number our days and fill them with faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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If today brought you bad news, this is your invitation: name it, hand it to God, call your people, and take the next obedient step. And when the Lord carries you through—because He will—stand up and tell the story.
