My Cup Runneth Over

After three breast biopsies and a mammogram, I wanted to hear good news. The news would not be good for me in early 2002. I had breast cancer. There was that dreaded word no one wants to hear. I was in a tailspin wanting to know how and why this was happening to me. I kept thinking about the 23 Psalm (KJV) and the first line: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”

I wanted to be free of this disease and not have to deal with it. “He leadeth me besides the still waters.” The waters would not be still for I had a long road of recovery ahead of me. I knew that Jesus was always with me, but I didn’t know how I’d be able to fight my battle with cancer and care for my very ill husband at the same time.

Internally, my soul was battered, just like my body was on the outside. I had surgery to remove a lump and radiation treatments for my cancer.

“He restoreth my soul.” I still felt a heavy load weighing on me mentally and emotionally. Why was all this happening to me? Where was God in all of this? Was He really listening to me?

My family came together to give the emotional support I needed during this trying time in my life. “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness.” What was I was missing? Could it be that I was not recognizing my reliance should be on my Savior?

I was very fearful of what was happening not only to my body but also to my spirit. “I will fear no evil.” So I called upon God for guidance and strength. It seemed like a lifetime for my Savior to answer me. Finally, He had me look to the cross on which He died.

Every day, I would work all day, go to my treatments and then be a wife to my sick husband. “Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” But God was always with me through the pain and suffering that I had to endure. I was tired; however, I knew that Jesus was my reassurance that I would get through this struggle.

As the weeks drew on, I had to really fight to make sure that I got better. Focusing on the cross that Jesus bore assured me that I too had a cross to bear, but I knew that God has something for me.  “Thy preparest a table before me.” This table was the love that God had for me during this battle for with my health.

I have been cancer-free for more than ten years, and in that time, I also lost my husband. There has been a great deal for me to overcome, but “my cup runneth over.” I have been blessed beyond my dreams. I found new friends and a great church family. My life is nothing like I imaged it would have been when I first learned I had cancer. I still look back on those days and wonder how I got through it all.

I overcame by the power of the Holy Spirit, guiding me every step of the way. Click To Tweet

I try every day to know that I should be dependent upon Jesus for everything. There are many times that I forget this, but He gently reminds me that “goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.”

Each one of us has struggles, and tribulations and sufferings are part of the fabric of life. As we bear our cross, though, we can remember that we “will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”  This is the Good News that truly makes our cups runneth over. 

Scripture

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” (2 Corinthians 4.16-17 NLT).

Abide

Father, keep us ever at your side at the table of Your love. During the difficult times,  we know that our cup will runneth over with Your grace and mercy. Guide us in the peace of your presence even when the waters are not still and we face sickness, tragedy and heartache. 

Overflow

It is tempting to feel like God has abandoned us during hard times. We don’t want to bear any cross, especially when it means dealing with sickness and/or heartache. But as we look at the Cross of Christ, we can be certain that our souls are safely and eternally tucked away with God in heaven. We are not alone. God is with us every step of the way, and He will give us the strength to fight the battles we are facing.

Author

Betty Boyd is a Pennsylvania native who moved to the Tennessee Valley in 1994. Her passions have always been writing and photography. She is an artist at heart. God has given her these gifts to inspire others, to help others, and to give back to the community. After retiring in 2012, Betty knew there was more she was supposed to do. She started Boyd Consulting Services, which offers writing and consulting to clients and companies. She is a featured writer for a federal career blog that discusses career related topics that affect the federal government workforce. She also does corporate blogging for various e-newsletters. Betty is a best-selling author who has written for several magazines as staff writer and researcher, and she has recently written for Faith and Fitness Magazine. She sings in her choir at her local church. Her purpose is to serve God and others by utilizing her gift of writing for God’s glory.

You can find Betty at BettyBoydWriting.com and LinkedIn.