Is it normal to feel abandoned by God during cancer?

It is common enough to have a name in the research literature and a place in the Catechism.

Researchers call it negative religious coping: feeling abandoned by God, feeling punished, or being angry at God. It is much less common than positive religious coping, but it matters more. In a study of women with breast cancer, positive religious coping was not associated with any measure of wellbeing, while negative religious coping predicted worse mental health, more depressive symptoms and lower life satisfaction, and changes in it tracked changes in wellbeing over time. In a study of more than 600 people with advanced cancer, it was associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation even after adjusting for social support and physical health.

The Catechism describes illness as something that "can lead to anguish, self-absorption, sometimes even despair and revolt against God." That is in the official text, as a description rather than an accusation.

This is the thing hospital chaplains do most, and it is free in most hospitals and available to people of any faith or none. If you are having thoughts of harming yourself, tell your care team, or in the United States call or text 988.