In the winter of 2022, our family was hit by some devastating news. My father, who had always been healthy, was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, and it had already developed into four types of malignant tumors. The doctor told us that he had only three to four months left to live. The news hit us like a sudden storm, leaving us terrified and powerless. I could not help but complain to God: my father was a devoted Christian who treated the church like his second home. He had been serving faithfully for years without a single complaint. Why did he have to go through this?
Faced with the unexpected storm, we were not sure what to do. But my mother, who is a devout Christian, reassured us with her faith and wisdom, “Do not be afraid, for God is our refuge and strength, and He is our very help in trouble. Let us pray earnestly for your father. God loves him more than we do, and he makes no mistakes.”
With her encouragement, the entire family started praying for my father’s health. As our brothers and sisters in Christ prayed earnestly for him, we felt the warmth and support from the church, and no longer felt alone in the face of such challenges.
With the epidemic causing a shortage of hospital beds and medical staff becoming infected one by one, it became a real challenge for my father to get the treatment he needed. With no other option, he was forced to stay at home and rely on the medication prescribed by his doctor. Unfortunately, our whole family contracted the virus during this time, but miraculously my father was the only one who showed no symptoms. However, he experienced severe body aches and had to rely on a considerable amount of painkillers every day to ease his discomfort.
As we watched my father get thinner and weaker every day and his condition worsened, we felt worried but helpless. After much internal struggle, we finally decided to tell him about his condition. To our surprise, he showed no fear. Instead, he calmly accepted the news and put his treatment in God's hands. Witnessing his unwavering faith brought us immense comfort and strength.
At my father's request, we began to organize a simple Christian funeral for him. After that, my father focused on his prayer life. He lived each day as if it were his last, which made his prayers more sincere and pressing, bringing him closer to God. He even stopped taking painkillers and relied completely on God. Then, six months later, all of my father’s test results returned to normal and the doctors were shocked. They had never seen someone with such a serious condition recover as my father did - it was a first for them.
My father’s case was reviewed at several prominent provincial hospitals, all of which closely monitored his progress. Although he was diagnosed with four types of cancer, he chose not to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy, but to treat his illness with a combination of Chinese herbal medicine and Western medication. Many doctors were curious about his remarkable recovery, to which I simply attributed to my father’s strong faith as a devout Christian.
My father said, “The doctors probably still don’t know how I got better, but I know it was God who healed me. The fact that He hasn’t taken me away yet means I still have a greater mission to fulfill.”
In the days that followed, my father’s health gradually improved, and he became more spirited. In addition to his daily devotions, he began to help with some simple chores around the house. We could always hear my father singing praises at home, “Olives that have known no pressure, no oil can bestow; if the grapes escape the winepress, cheering wine can never flow.”
After my father was healed, his faith grew even stronger. Not only did he dedicate himself to serving in the church, but he also shared his testimony about Christ wherever he went. Whether it was at meeting points, in neighborhoods, or among crowds of people, he would share his testimony of how he had encountered God’s grace.
The whole family had also gone through a profound spiritual journey as a result of my father's illness. Through strong faith in the Lord, we discovered immense strength that helped us to overcome obstacles and embrace hope and courage.
Through this experience, I realize that suffering should not make Christians question their faith or doubt God’s goodness and omnipotence. In times of suffering, instead of asking “Why me?” or “What have I done wrong?”, we should ask ourselves, “How can I grow from this experience that God has given me?” We need to find meaning in our suffering, for it always has a purpose for Christians. As Paul reminded us, “All things work together for good for those who love God.”
In a sermon delivered by Pastor John Piper, he once shared, “The suffering of the righteous is not the fire of destruction but the fire that refines the gold of their goodness. For the righteous, it is not punitive but curative.” My father’s life showed this to be true. We can place our trust in God to guide us through all the ups and downs of life, knowing that He is always there with us. With faith in our true and living God, we can be confident that His intentions for us are always for our ultimate good.
- Translated by Joyce Leung
