Thank you for posting this Brett and Alex. Only recently have I been recognize suffering as a gift from God rather than a curse that God "allowed". Mr. Piper's article is a manifestation of his faith.

Because He lives,
Sarah
sarah | 02.15.06 - 6:36 pm | #

Wow. Piper's response to his cancer is an amazing testimony to his faith and is nothing short of inspiring.
Thank you for posting this....
Hannah Beth | Homepage | 02.16.06 - 6:06 am | #

I just want to thank you for sharing this with us - it automatically brought to mind my grandfather, who is currently battling cancer in his lymph system, and my friend Hunter (http://www.watermarkaussies.com/hunter/ hunter_history.html), who went to be with the Lord two and a half years ago.

Hunter was such a blessing to those around him during this time (scroll to 7-18-03 to read his final message to the world before receiving "the Ultimate Cure" as he called it), and I can only pray that my grandfather continues to rely on the Lord as -he- faces this battle.
Hannah | Homepage | 02.16.06 - 6:35 am | #

That was a very powerful article. I got it yesterday (via Fresh Words) and posted something about it on my xanga. I love Piper's outlook on life in general. He is such a great example to all of us about how to make our life count!
Nella Sound-Out | Homepage | 02.16.06 - 7:45 am | #

John Piper is right on. I had testicular cancer when I was in my early 30s, and I'm grateful for the "adventure" the Lord gave me and brought me through. There's a "briskness" that you experience in relation to the Lord when you go through things like that. When you trust the Lord in those difficult times, He rewards you with this kind of spiritual alertness. It feels like you're on the cutting edge of life when you know Who is Lord in times like that.

Ah, the things you're allowed to say as a cancer survivor; if I weren't, I might not have the "credibility" to say such bold things. :-)
Ted | Homepage | 02.16.06 - 9:16 am | #

Your entire blog site, and this article in particular, is a blessing to me. I'm a homeschool mom in Atlanta (transplanted from AZ), and it is so great to be able to point to you guys as virtual role models for my 10-year old son.

I'm forwarding the Piper article to my mom, who is battling "with" cancer right now. Much of what he says will let her know she's on the right track; the rest will help her think differently about God's reasons for her cancer and her life.
Kelley | Homepage | 02.16.06 - 1:23 pm | #

I have read a good deal of Piper, though not the new piece which you site.

I take issue with the statement "You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God." By definition, cancer is a decaying, destructive force which exists as a warped, twisted aberration, a form of parasitical, biological death, which we know from Scripture is part of the wages of sin- and as such CANNOT be the creative, constructive "design" of God. God may have "designs" around, with, and under the cancer, but cancer is itself an aberration of God's design. As with all other forces of destruction in our universe, cancer is a perversion, to be challenged and persevered through, with our God, who also resists the destruction of His good creation in all its forms.
MM | Homepage | 02.17.06 - 10:49 am | #

MM: I don't believe Piper meant to imply that God designed cancer itself, but rather that your cancer (specifically, which is key) is designed for you by a loving and sovereign God. Our trials are designed by God to sanctify and purify us... They are not just something that "Satan did" that God is somehow working for good. I think that is what Piper meant. As Romans 8:31 says, "If God is for us, who [or what] can be against us?"
Alex Jordan Harris | Homepage | 02.17.06 - 7:05 pm | #

Alex, I agree with your reading, as you put it- as I said... "God may have "designs" around, with, and under the cancer, but cancer is itself an aberration of God's design. As with all other forces of destruction in our universe, cancer is a perversion, to be challenged and persevered through, with our God, who also resists the destruction of His good creation in all its forms."

Having not struggled with cancer myself, and as an admirer of Piper's, I am more than ready to attribute such a charitable reading to his thoughts. But Piper's wording- "You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God... You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift...You will waste your cancer if you think that “beating” cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ..."seem incongruent with an adequate and biblical doctrine of creation, wherein God designs, gives, and actively sustains LIFE, not death. From Scripture we know that death (of which cancer is a manifestation) is the converse of God's perfect, lifegiving will.

... and yet certainly God's purposes triumph even through the death and disease which God abhors in His creation, and ultimately undoes in Christ.
MM | Homepage | 02.20.06 - 8:28 am | #