Don’t Ever Park at "Why" - Episode 198 - Health, Hope & Inspiration : City of Hope®

Don’t Ever Park at “Why” – Episode 198

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Featuring: Pastor Bob Cheli

Published: January 11, 2020

Pastor Bob Cheli always ministered to cancer patients, but never expected to become one. He speaks candidly with host Rev. Percy McCray about his struggles and spiritual lessons as he journeys through cancer.

Resources:

Show Notes:

Pastor Bob Cheli attended Our Journey of Hope training with the desire to bring a cancer ministry to his church. During his training, however, he received a Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnoses. He wept when he told his wife. “Cancer affects the caregiver as much as it does the patient.”

“A lot of people think, especially if you are a pastor, ‘I can’t ask why because that is questioning God,’ but that is the farthest thing from the truth.” He asked God, “Why” and shares that God used the image of an unloading zone parking spot to teach him how to process his question. He says God told him, “See that unloading zone? It’s there for a specific purpose…to go there, to unload, and to leave…I do not have a problem with you unloading. I love you so much. I want you to unload. But once you’re done, go on. Do not ever park at ‘Why.'”

In addition to learning how to process his big questions with God, he also sees unique opportunities to minister to other cancer patients and encourages others to serve in the same way. “When you get into that clinical environment, look around and ask God, ‘What can I do?’…I have learned that the more you pour out, the more He pours in.”

As he enters his cancer treatment, he uses spiritual journaling as a way to process his thoughts and converse with God. Most recently, after a hard week, God encouraged him while journaling. “The enemy has thrown everything he has at you over the last few days…and you are still standing…you may lose a few rounds, but it is a fixed fight. You have already won.”

Quotes:

“Do the things that make you happy, even when you are going through this. Do not stop doing the things that make you who you are because when you stop doing that, then you stop living.”
“The devil’s already going down because the story’s already been told, and so I know I’m going to win, no matter what.”