To try to make this website useful, I looked for the sort of things that people search for on the internet. One thing that a number of people ask is something like “Why does God allow cancer”. I am by no means a theologian, so this is just my take on the subject as someone who has both faith and cancer.
Free Will
First off, I believe that God gives us Free Will, which means that we are free to go off and do what we want, which is not necessarily what God wants for us and which is not necessarily good for us. We are of course restrained by the law and by discipline in our upbringing, but that still leaves us with considerable freedom.
That is on the individual level. On the group and population level. we have the freedom to mess up our environment, fight wars, massacre people we disapprove of and countless other evils.
We also have the freedom to do immense good and offset the bad things that people do, to alleviate disadvantage, to help others and all sorts of things that are pleasing to God and to humankind.
Causes of Cancer
Many cancers are a result of this free will. It may be what we knowingly or unknowingly do to ourselves – what we eat and drink, the chemicals and pollution we expose ourselves to, and probably other things besides. And then there is what others do to us – atmospheric pollution, toxic factory effluent and so on. So what we do to ourselves or what others do to us can cause cancer.
Why don’t we have immunity to cancer? I have no answer to that although it was recently discovered that some people do have complete immunity. Perhaps it will lead to effective cures. The human body is a miracle of design in its capability, both physical and mental. It is also very resilient – up to a point, after which it breaks down. It is interesting that there are pockets of disease-free longevity in the world, where people live long because of their active lifestyle, good diet and congenial society.
So even if what we do to ourselves and what others do to us explains a lot of cancers, it doesn’t explain cancers in the very young. I can’t remember where it is in the Holy Bible, but I recall a passage where Jesus is about to heal a man born blind and his disciples asked whether the man’s blindness was a result of his sin or his parents’ sin. He replies that it is neither but so that God might be glorified in the man’s healing. Whatever the outcome, a sick child brings out the best in people – the medics, the parents and others and that is certainly pleasing to God. But I don’t know if there are any answers. I certainly don’t know any. And it is distressing when a child dies, whatever the cause.
I don’t know the cause of my cancer, just that if I had done a lot of things differently I might not be in this state now. There are times in my life when my diet has been terrible; I have exposed myself to chemicals and dust without proper protective equipment; I have not always exercised enough. I have smoked and probably lots of other things too. Some of it through ignorance; some of it through being young and feeling invincible. It can catch up with us.
Faith Helps
However, what I do know is that cancer is easier to bear if you have faith in God and in our Saviour, Jesus Christ. In theory my condition is terminal. In practice, through God and prayer and the medical profession, I have exceeded my life expectancy. Praise God. Thank you.