What a Breakthrough Pancreatic Cancer Drug Reveals about Hope in the Waiting

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If you have ever experienced or witnessed the treatment of cancer, you know that chemotherapy can be brutal. Many often mention how the treatment can feel worse than the disease it is treating. Of the many types of cancer, pancreatic cancer is highly aggressive. Doctors often detect it in later stages, resulting in low survival rates. 

Recently, a new pancreatic cancer drug, daraxonrasib, nearly doubled median survival in a clinical trial, and researchers are also studying its potential against other cancers. The clinical trials for those using daraxonrasib took the median survival rate from approximately six months with chemotherapy to over thirteen months using this drug. If you have lost someone to cancer, having a few more months with your loved one is invaluable.

As followers of Christ, how should we view these medical breakthroughs? Should we celebrate them, and by doing so, are we placing hope in science and losing trust in God? The answer is yes, we should celebrate them, and no, by doing so you are not losing trust in God. What this requires is that we approach this with the proper perspective so that, through it all our faith remains strong.

For Christians, medical breakthroughs are gifts to receive with gratitude, but they are never meant to carry the weight of the eternal hope that belongs to Christ alone.

Is Medicine a Gift from God or a Guarantee of Healing?

Mark’s gospel tells the story of a woman who had an issue with bleeding. She had suffered with this bleeding for twelve years and spent everything she had going to doctors looking for a cure. However, doctors could not find a cure for her condition. In her desperation, she sought Jesus with the goal of just touching his cloak, believing that if she did, that would bring her relief from her suffering. 

If you are familiar with the story, you know that the moment she touched his cloak, she was healed instantly. You might think this story is against doctors or pursuing healing through medicinal means, but it is not. It is really a story of the compassion of Jesus and a reality that many people face. Sometimes medical treatment brings a cure to your sickness, yet there are times it doesn’t. However, there is nothing wrong with seeking medical treatment.

I say this as a person who has experienced both sides of medical treatment working and not working. My son was three years old when he was diagnosed with leukemia. He went through three years of treatment to fight this disease. They literally had to remove all his red and white blood cells from his body to allow his body to rebuild them. Today, fifteen years later, my son is a cancer survivor, and medical treatment played a huge role in that. Yes, we prayed a lot, and we thank God for healing our son using the wisdom of medicine.

On the other side of that, my son’s mom (my late wife) was fighting breast cancer at the same time. She endured treatments, but unfortunately, her body did not respond to them, and she passed away when my son was six. Yes, we prayed for her too, but she did not recover.

The reason I share this with you is to remind you that there is hope in medical treatment, and I believe God gives men and women the wisdom to find cures for diseases. Yet, let’s be clear that it does not always lead to healing. This is true of those who seek medical treatment and those who only pray. For those who are not healed, it is not the fault of medicine nor God, but it is a reality we will all experience in this life. One day we will all pass away. 

Can Christians Trust God and Still Use Medicine?

Whenever someone is facing illness, we should always lead with compassion and empathy. Unfortunately, I have been in some faith circles where that is simply not the case. When my late wife was in the hospital, I felt discouraged. A dear friend told me about a church that had a healing ministry. There were stories of people for whom they prayed for and they received healing. 

Honestly, I did not verify any of these stories, but I was in a place of desperation, so I called this church. The woman kept me on the phone for 40 minutes, and here was the synopsis of the call. If I had enough faith, my wife would have been healed already. These words came out of her mouth, and that was one of the few times in my life where I was more discouraged after someone prayed for me. 

She was implying through the conversation that you don’t need medicine; all you need is faith. While there are many faith communities that may believe this way, I don’t. Yes, you need faith, but faith does not mean you cannot seek medicinal means of healing. In fact, through science and medicine, we have found cures for many diseases, and there is wisdom in using those cures.

We also learn from the Bible that not every person gets healed. Even those who were healed, eventually passed away. I don’t say that to be crass, but to bring honesty to the conversation. In 1 Timothy 5:23, here is what Paul tells Timothy:

"Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses."

This verse tells me a few things. First, Timothy dealt with illness, and it happened often in his life. Second, Paul did not rebuke Timothy, nor did he blame Timothy for his illness. Instead, he told him to use wine, in this case as a medicinal treatment, to help with his stomach issues. Timothy's choosing to do that was not a rejection of faith nor a total dependence on medicine; it was simply wisdom. 

If you are sick and there is a treatment that can help cure or overcome that sickness, then you should explore that option. Ultimately, you can decide whether or not you use it, that is totally your decision, but you don’t have to put faith and science in conflict with each other. They can work together, and whether you are healed through prayer and faith or the use of medicine, God can get the glory through it all.

Where Can Christians Find Hope Beyond Healing?

The reality of this life is it is only temporary. We will all pass away one day. This means that ultimately our hope must go beyond the years we live on this earth, because if it doesn’t, then we really don’t have hope at all. This is why faith in Jesus matters so much. 

Jesus came, he died, and he rose again. It is his resurrection that gives us hope beyond the grave. Here is a truth that remains and will remain until Jesus comes again. Some of you will pray, and God will miraculously heal you. Yes, God still does that. Some of you will get sick and find healing through medicine and treatment. That is okay, too. Some of you will pray and seek medical treatment and succumb to your illness. That is the reality of this life. 

However, if your hope is in Christ, then you know life does not end when you breathe your last breath. The truth is your life is just beginning. I guess what I am saying is that ultimately our hope is not in science; our hope is in Jesus. When you are found in him, then the words he said become true for this life and the one to come.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; - John 11:25

If you are dealing with illness today, my prayer for you is that you would find comfort in the arms of Jesus. I don’t know if or how he will choose to heal you. What I know is that regardless of what you encounter, he will never leave you or forsake you. So, let’s be thankful for breakthroughs in medicine that may give people the possibility of living longer and even having more time with those they love on this earth. But let’s be even more thankful that we have an eternal home waiting for us where death and sickness will be no more. Ultimately, that is where our hope should be.

Frequently Asked Questions about Faith, Medicine, and Cancer Hope

• Can Christians celebrate medical breakthroughs?
  Yes. Christians can receive medical breakthroughs with gratitude, recognizing medicine as one way God can show mercy, wisdom, and care in a broken world.
• Does using medicine mean a Christian lacks faith?
  No. Seeking medical treatment is not a rejection of faith. Christians can pray, trust God, and wisely use the medical help available to them.
• Why doesn’t God heal everyone who prays?
  Scripture shows that God can heal, but it also reminds us that every believer still lives in a fallen world where suffering and death remain until Christ makes all things new.
• Where should Christians place their ultimate hope during illness?
  Christians should place their ultimate hope in Jesus, whose resurrection promises life beyond sickness, suffering, and death.
• How can believers support someone going through cancer treatment?
  Believers can pray, listen, offer practical help, avoid careless spiritual clichés, and point suffering people gently toward the presence and promises of Christ.

For Further Reading

• Prayers for Cancer Patients for Healing, Strength, and Faith
• What Does the Bible Say about Healing?
• Why Doesn’t God Heal Everyone?
• What Did Jesus Mean by “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”?
• Prayers for Comfort to Seek Solace in God

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Gorodenkoff

Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a dynamic speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club, dedicated to helping people live with purpose and clarity. In addition to his ministry work, Clarence has spent the last 13 years as a trusted financial educator, guiding thousands of people across the country—including employees at many Fortune 500 companies—toward lasting financial wellness. His unique ability to blend practical wisdom with spiritual insight equips people to thrive in every area of life.

He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose, which helps readers understand how God leads them into his will, and the author of The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has released his first course, Bible Study Basics, to achieve that goal. To learn more about his ministry and resources, please visit clarencehaynes.com.

This article originally appeared on Christianity.com. For more faith-building resources, visit Christianity.com.