There’s always a price to pay. Always. It’s the trade-off for a fix.
We’re so fortunate to live in a time when medical advances can save us from things like cancer, but being saved usually comes with a trade-off—one well worth it, but difficult, nonetheless.
So, do we exchange one blessing for the hardship of another? The answer for most folks who face a terminal diagnosis is a definite yes. Nobody wants to die. I mean, we know heaven is a beautiful and wonderful thing, but we kind of like our earthly life, right?
Our family has been through hardships over the last five years. God’s gift through modern medicine saved my husband, not once but three times. His cancer was non-responsive to chemo or radiation, and we had two choices—die or remove the bladder and accept an external appliance. There was no question. Nothing to consider. This was his only shot at life.
Don’t get me wrong, we have no regrets. My husband is five years cancer-free, but that gift came with recurring issues that we’ll deal with for the rest of his days. We traded one for another.
When David penned his song of hope, he reminded us of the love of our Shepherd, Christ. He specifically pointed out the amazing things our Shepherd does for us. We want for nothing. We rest in quiet, safe places. We’re provided for, rejoiced over, led, and loved. All those things are wonderful. Verse 6, its impact easily overlooked when we read Psalm 23, says goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life (Psalm 23:6).
Let that sink in. Think on it for just a minute. God continually follows us with His goodness and mercy, yet we continue to run ahead. We rarely stop to let His love, goodness, and mercy overtake us. Imagine if we stopped. David reminds us that God is constantly pursuing His sheep, desiring to cover us with His protective love and care.
Christ paid the ultimate price. His gift of a “paid-in-full” receipt was the trade-off for His death. I am more than thankful for a God with a plan greater than I can comprehend.
This Thanksgiving season, stop. Stand still. Let the goodness and mercy of the Lord catch up and cover you.
Cindy K. Sproles is a best-selling, award-winning author. She is a speaker and a conference teacher who teaches nationwide. Cindy is the cofounder of Christian Devotions Ministries, www.christiandevotions.us, and www.inspireafire.com. She serves as a writing mentor with WRAMS (Writing Write Author Mentoring Service) and is the director of the Asheville Christian Writers Conference. Visit Cindy at www.cindysproles.com.