John Piper, "Don't Waste Your Cancer."

Since suffering has been a topic of conversation here lately, I thought I'd add this recent article by John Piper to the discussion: "Don't Waste Your Cancer." He will soon be undergoing surgery for prostate cancer and, as always, he is unceasingly looking for ways to glorify God in his life, including his present suffering.

Although Piper is facing literal cancer, you could really substitute any form of suffering for "cancer" and personalize this list. Each of these points has a helpful explanation following them, but here are his 10 points that will lead someone to waste their cancer:

1. You will waste your cancer if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.
2. You will waste your cancer if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
3. You will waste your cancer if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
4. You will waste your cancer if you refuse to think about death.
5. You will waste your cancer if you think that "beating" cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
6. You will waste your cancer if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.
7. You will waste your cancer if you let it drive you into solitude rather than deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
8. You will waste your cancer if you grieve as those who have no hope.
9. You will waste your cancer if you treat sin as casually as before.
10. You will waste your cancer if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.