“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Shortly before my cancer diagnosis, I read Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand, the founder of Voice of the Martyrs. I am not naturally drawn to this kind of literature, but God knew I would need it. In the book, Wurmbrand shares his own story of being imprisoned and tortured in Communist Russia for 14 years because of his faith. He also shares stories of fellow Christians who suffered for believing and sharing the Gospel. This one struck me:
One of our workers in the Underground Church was a young girl. The Communist police discovered that she secretly spread Gospels and taught children about Christ. They decided to arrest her. But to make the arrest as agonizing and painful as they could, they decided to delay her arrest a few weeks, until the day she was to be married. On her wedding day, the girl was dressed as a bride—the most wonderful, joyous day in a girl’s life! Suddenly, the door burst open and the secret police rushed in.
When the bride saw the secret police, she held out her arms toward them to be handcuffed. They roughly put the manacles on her wrists. She looked toward her beloved, then kissed the chains and said, “I thank my heavenly Bridegroom for this jewel He has presented to me on my marriage day. I thank Him that I am worthy to suffer for Him.” She was dragged off, with weeping Christians and a weeping bridegroom left behind. They knew what happens to young Christian girls in the hands of Communist guards. Her bridegroom faithfully waited for her. After five years she was released—a destroyed, broken woman, looking thirty years older. She said it was the least she could do for her Christ. Such beautiful Christians are in the Underground Church.
Though I do not experience religious persecution like this, this girl’s story reached through the years and touched mine in a special way. I had gone in for a mammogram out of an abundance of caution, expecting normal results. I sat alone in the darkened room while the tech went to show my images to the radiologist. As I stared at the wall and listened to the whirring of the mammogram machine, the air grew suddenly heavy and I knew my life was about to change. My heart heard God’s voice say, “I am taking you on a hard journey, but I will be with you.”
My first thought was of Richard Wurmbrand’s young friend, and the way she kissed her chains and thanked God for the opportunity to suffer for Him. I opened my hands and said, “God, whatever you have for me now, help me to receive it with joy. Thank you for what comes next.” By His grace, I meant it. By His grace, He did it.
God is still using the story of one faithful, humble, unnamed girl to strengthen the faith of those coming after her. She is now completely whole and celebrating in the presence of her heavenly Bridegroom. She is experiencing the eternal glory God prepared for her, glory that makes her hard earthly suffering look light and momentary.
Now, it’s my turn to carry the mantle. I may be “wasting away” on the outside, but on the inside I am “being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Everyone’s suffering looks different, and though mine is quite different from my Romanian sister, I pray that it also encourages the believers who come after me by pointing them to God’s deep, abiding goodness in suffering. Cancer is temporary; Christ is eternal. May our suffering, whatever its form, cause us to treasure Him more.
This Little Life 