In the midst of battle, we might think of surrender in terms of a white flag, quitting . . . defeat. Yet, when facing a major trial, there is no greater step we can take than surrender. Not surrender to the trial or disease, but yielding to our Creator and His direction. Think for a second, how could we possibly navigate our battles better than Him? He is the ultimate general and a powerful commander and His soldiers tend to fail when they strike out on their own. While staring down his Goliath, David knew winning the match was greater than his abilities, but not God’s:

“All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:47).

It is the Lord who orchestrates our fight. He leads us and shows us our role step by step. Surrender is not passive, it is not even active – it is proactive. Our highest priority is to stay in close contact with Him, listening and responding. And don’t worry about making the connection, He always finds a way to lead us and gives us peace and strength along the way. Relax in Him and lean on Him. He is fighting for you and with you.

During the early days of my encounter with Stage IV metastatic melanoma, I resisted surrendering to the Lord. I didn’t want to have cancer and stubbornly tried to cling to my old routines. I was not a good patient and the strategy backfired – my health declined faster. My surrender to the Lord took the form of listening better to the doctors and yes, to my wife. Once I surrendered, I was much more peaceful, and so were those who were desperately trying to help me!

Get tough in your battles and surrender to the Lord. It’s the best strategy.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB(c).

Sometimes people ask if my life has really changed after being healed from what doctors believed was a terminal case of Stage IV metastatic melanoma cancer. They wonder if experiencing such a miracle rendered me a deeper and more focused person. Well in some ways . . . wait… what was the question again? To be certain, I learned some powerful lessons about Who He is and how He works, but they must be reapplied daily. Five years on, my life is very much back to normal, all too normal, complete with all those pesky distractions and irritations we all face. So I must find new mercies and grace every morning. He created all of us to live our lives with Him as companions.  Like Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, He wants us close, and He pursues us when we hide from Him. He is the Best Friend one could ask for. And whether circumstances are pleasing or irritating, He is always good and worthy of our heart’s adoration and the object of our greatest affections.

What He did for us yesterday always leaves a mark, but He is a God of the present – a living God. So cling to the lessons of old and make new memories with Him as He performs in us anew – everyday. What is He doing in you . . . right now?

Psalm 105:3-5 - Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth.

Lord, we ask for a dependent heart, a thankful heart and a great desire to make You the object of our highest affections, more than money, people or even comfort.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB(c).

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Weakness. It’s been dismissed, denied and despised. Never let ‘em see you sweat. Right? Wrong. We need to be honest and admit it, we are weak. Our personal strength is a straw house against so many forces in this universe. Will human determination stop a tornado from hitting your house? Can your positive thinking keep your country’s economy strong? Can mind over matter prevent serious illness from striking your life or your loved ones’ lives? Does careful planning keep your heart and lungs pumping overnight while you are in an unconscious state of sleep? Someone might be thinking, “Joe, you’re scaring me!” Don’t be scared, be dependent . . . on the Lord. The apostle, Paul, struggled against his weakness in his life crises. He begged God several times to take away his numerous trials and troubles and sickness. But God didn’t answer in the way Paul had hoped. Instead God said: “My grace is sufficient for you, for (My) power is perfected in weakness.” Then it hit Paul:

Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Crisis Management
When we are in a crisis, we usually scramble to gain control. We need to stop and agree that we are so out of control, and God is in total control. So seek Him and ask Him what to do. This is not passivity, since He loves to lead us step by step. He rarely shows us what is ahead, He simply asks us to depend on Him along the way, no matter what happens.

Supernatural Resources
If we lean on Him in this way, we will experience a deep-seated, divine peace, which Paul calls ”the peace which surpasses all understanding”. This type of peace doesn’t make sense to the human mind. It seems counterproductive, even foolish to relax in a crisis situation. Yet everything is in His hands anyway, and He is good . . . and He is trustworthy . . . and He is powerful. So, allow yourself to be weak and watch Him work.

-Joe Fornear

Lord, we admit we are helplessly out of control. We thank you that You hold all things in Your hands, including our lives and circumstances. Help us relax in Your arms, even when we are really hurting.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

I would like for this blog to be a two way street. So please feel free to leave a comment if you feel so led.

Did you know there is an entire book of the Bible in which the name of God cannot be located? That’s right, God is never mentioned even once in the book of Esther. Why would such a book be included in the Bible? I believe He is trying to tell us that His work is often behind the scenes, even during apparently devastating setbacks. Do you see the hand of God in the setbacks of your life? I admit, sometimes it is very hard for me to “locate” Him when I am in pain. Honestly sometimes I have a hard time finding Him when I am simply inconvenienced, like with a flat tire. Esther’s story was difficult from the beginning. She was orphaned and then made part of the Medo-Persian king’s harem by force. Her Jewish nationality was about to be made public which for her meant certain death, since the Jews of her time were being systematically slaughtered. On the surface, God seemed absent, but was He? Esther’s guardian Mordecai told her, “Perhaps you have been raised up for such a time as this.” Mordecai was right. God used her connection to the King to save not only her skin, but the entire Jewish race. When God wants to show Himself and display His glory, He often begins in the midst of a crisis.

For millions of people the crisis through which God wants to reveals Himself is cancer. On the surface, being diagnosed may seem to be the mother of all setbacks. How can a loving, compassionate God be part of a cancer story? Though He may seem absent in our pain, He is always working behind the scenes toward a higher purpose. I have come to view my own encounter with cancer as having a higher purpose.  I think God raised me up, or rather laid me low, to help others understand who He is in the midst of their major life crisis. Cancer can be such a wake-up call. It makes us pause to consider all the questions we may have been taking for granted.

God certainly used cancer to get my attention. In September of 2002, I discovered a lump under my arm. I was misdiagnosed for a time and the cancer, which was Stage IV (stage four) metastatic melanoma, almost killed me. Despite several surgeries and chemo, the cancer still spread to 13 different sites, including my lung, kidney, stomach and pancreas. My doctor gave me just days to live and told the nurses to keep me comfortable. At the last minute, the Lord miraculously turned it all around and I have been cancer free for over five years. I learned many lessons along the way which I feel compelled to share. I resigned after 18 years of pastoring to work full time with a new ministry to those living with cancer and other life crises. I named the ministry Stronghold Ministry because during my crisis the Lord comforted me that though I was losing my grip, He had a strong hold on me. I have witnessed many people in crisis feel guilty that they feel so weak. I did. In this blog I will be writing about this and other lessons I gleaned from the experience. So stop in again soon. For more on what the Lord did for me, go to my website of the new ministry at www.mystronghold.org. 

Psalm 59:17 – O my strength, I will sing praises to You; For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.

 Lord, I ask that You would show us our setbacks in a whole new light, Your light.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

I would like for this blog to be a two way street. So please feel free to leave a comment if you feel so led.