12 Bible Verses for Cancer Patients (Plus a Prayer)

No one expects to be diagnosed with cancer. As the medical tests roll in, so does the fear and anguish over what was, what’s to come, and what will be. Over the last year as I prayed for direction, I experienced waves of fear, grief, and disbelief when I was unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer. It hasn’t been easy, to say the least. If I’m honest, my initial response was to cry out, “Why, God?” This state of disbelief is often a mashup of denial and anger as we want to know what God is doing in our lives when trouble comes our way. These bible verses for cancer patients are shared out of my own experience clinging to God’s truth.

Few people escape the diagnosis of cancer without wondering if God has abandoned them. Everyone processes difficulty at their own pace, and I urge you not to rush yourself through the grief process. I pray these bible verses for cancer patients would bless you right where you are, whether you’re square in the middle of your initial diagnosis (often the worst phase), in the middle of treatment, or done with treatment and wondering, “what in the world has happened to me.

Here are 12 bible verses for cancer patients:

#1 – Patiently Endure Our Testing

No one wishes the kind of testing cancer bring on, even to our worst enemies. The uncertainty alone is enough to challenge most people. Often the phase awaiting diagnosis is the hardest as you don’t know what the prognosis will be. When the word, “cancer,” is spoken, we freeze up and imagine the worst. In these dark times, leaning on this verse and trusting that God will provide peace, even in the middle of uncertainty.

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12 NLT

#2 – Keep Anxiety in its Place

Not being anxious is easier said than done. The focus of this verse is on where to place our efforts. We don’t intentionally place our focus on our anxiety, we focus on prayer and petition for God to intercede by hearing our requests and providing us with a supernatural peace that isn’t our own. It’s peace by proxy. God lends us his peace when we have none of our own. I felt this very profoundly when going through my own cancer journey.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 NIV

#3 – Eternal Glory Outweighs Our Fear

Going through cancer does NOT feel light nor momentary. In fact, I’ve often described my own dance with breast cancer as cancer having hijacked my life completely. I went from make plans and starting 2024 off with a bang, to planning for surgery and recovery in a matter of weeks.

Often a cancer diagnosis requires many fast decisions to be made, requiring doctors visits, online research, talking with others who have been through the same type of cancer–it’s as though you hop on the ‘cancer bandwagon’ and drop nearly everything else going on in your life while you wrap your mind and heart around what is happening to you. So, this verse I share to stay focused on eternity in light of the immediate concerns, which often feel completely overwhelming.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV

#4 – Approach God With Confidence

The confidence spoken of here in the bible is not a human kind of confidence. This verse speaks of a confidence in the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. It’s in this saving work that we can have confidence in God to receive mercy and grace. Jesus himself endured derision, condemnation, and ultimately a human death. He knows all about suffering! We can align ourselves with Christ and lean into his mercy and grace in our time of need. It’s there ready for you.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Hebrews 4:16 NIV

#5 – Draw Close Despite Being Crushed in Spirit

Few things crush your spirit like a cancer diagnosis. From uncertainty, to agony, to unexpected treatments, to fear, it brought me incredible comfort to know that the Lord was and is close to me in my broken heartedness. Also, there were many twists and turns in my own reconstruction from breast cancer that left me completely crushed in spirit, if I’m being honest.

Wherever you are in your cancer journey, know that the Lord wants to be close with you to uphold you with his right hand and keep you in his perfect peace.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18 NIV

#6 – Lean on the God of All Comfort

Often times, the treatments for cancer that can include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and many other kinds of treatments do indeed cause physical suffering. It brings me comfort to know that my God is a God of compassion and comfort, who knows the troubles I’m going through and offers me comfort even through difficulty. Specifically, I felt God’s comfort through my family, through friends who brought meals, and through friends who called, texted, and checked in as I went through treatment.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 NIV

#7 – Embrace the Lord’s Compassion and Unfailing Love

It could be easy to feel like cancer has the upper hand, especially when it feels so isolating when going through the process. I default to feeling alone, even when I’m not. This verse promises that the Lord will never abandoned us, and that through the process of grief, we see his compassion and unfailing love.

For no one is abandoned
    by the Lord forever.
Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion
    because of the greatness of his unfailing love.
Lamentations 3:31-32 NLT

#8 – Cry to God for Help

When you’re down and out, without hope, or feeling overtaken by fear, I invite you to cry out to God. Psalm 55 tells us that God listens to our prayers. It’s okay to cry out in anger, frustration, fear, disbelief, and pain. In fact, I’ve found that during these seasons of crying out to God in anguish have been the sweetest when I’m open and craving his care. While I wouldn’t opt to go through really gnarly medical procedures just to gain a closeness with God, it is a natural byproduct of going through difficulties.

Listen to my prayer, O God.
    Do not ignore my cry for help!
Psalm 55:1 NLT

#9 – Don’t Be Surprised by Ordeals

When my kids were young, I would plan out every possible plan b, that is, I’d imagine the worst case scenario and pack accordingly. If someone soiled their outfit, I had a fresh one ready; if someone got hungry, I always had snacks; if it got cold, I brought appropriate layers. In this same vein, we can plan ahead knowing that this life will be (not might be) filled with troubles. I can hardly believe that this verse says, “don’t be surprised by fiery ordeals.” It makes me mad! Why, God! I didn’t want to go through cancer, and neither do you. But, this verse tells us that we are to expect tough times and that we participate in Christ’s sufferings when we suffer.

Strangely, this concept brought me much peace as I endured not one, but four, surgeries this year. I found myself meditating on Jesus on the cross, suffering for me. I told him the least I could do was to endure my suffering for him.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
–1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV

#10 – Overcome the World With Jesus

Why and how do we need to overcome the world? It seems an unlikely or unneeded request. Yet, over and over again in the New Testament, we’re told of a kingdom that doesn’t match up to the world’s expectations. It’s often referred to as an upside down kingdom–nearly the opposite of what we see, read, and hear about in culture today.

We crave power, wealth, and accolades, but what brings actual peace is humility, service, and giving. As I’ve come out of my ‘cancer fog’ and inch toward a new post-cancer life with all its changes, I find myself embracing trouble in a different way; I actively choose to take heart and draw closer to Jesus himself.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
-Jesus’s words from John 16:33 NIV

#11 – Consider Trials as Opportunities

Considering trials ‘pure joy‘ is also very hard to do. It’s almost like we need to keep our previous trials right in front of us at all times, knowing that hard times will affect us again. We don’t do this to have a pessimistic outlook or to invite depression, we do this because living here and now means to live in reality, with all its ups and downs.

While we hope and pray that we avoid future tragedies, we know that Jesus will be with us when new hardships come. We can remember the joy when we made it through the last time and apply it in advance to fresh trials. I am certain that I will grow, find closer relationship with my God, and heal eventually–even if it takes a very long time. This is perseverance–holding onto hope when times are dark, knowing better days are ahead.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4 NIV

#12 – Look to Future Glory Past Present Sufferings

Here, we read another future/past verse that reminds us that what we see and experience now isn’t the whole story. We have an eternity available to us with God that exceeds what we’ve got here and now. It’s hard to believe, but there is more. Less suffering, more closeness, more love, more healing. We can tap into this “future hope” right here and now and offer it to ourselves and our loved ones. One day, we’ll be with him in all his glory.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 NIV

A Prayer for the Cancer Patient

Lord, you know the path of uncertainty I’m on.
It makes no sense, and I cry out, “why me?”
I’m thankful that you hear my shouts, you hear the pain in my voice.
I don’t know why, but I know WHO.

I know you are with me, beside still waters.
I know you can heal my heart (even if you can’t heal my body).
I invite you now into this sacred space of emotional and physical suffering.
I know you are for me, not against me.

I trust in your goodness and mercy,
I lean on your peace which passes understanding.

Please hear these prayers, O God.
You know my needs even before I speak them.

You are good, and you never leave me alone.
Carry me through this darkness, hold me in your grasp.

I cling to you, sweet Jesus.
Give me this day, I humbly ask, to love and serve you.

AMEN