Featured Favorite: God is my Healer

Lifting Hands by Vladimer Ovchimikov (DollarPhotoClub.com)

Lifting Hands by Vladimer Ovchimikov (DollarPhotoClub.com)

“Bless the LORD, my soul; and do not forget all his gifts, who pardons all your sins, and heals all your ills,” (Psalm 103:2-3)

As my husband and I waited on the frontage road to access the busy freeway, a large SUV rear-ended our Lexus sedan. Our car pointed west at an angle, while my head pointed east to monitor the oncoming traffic. The startling jolt pushed our car part way into the access lane, resulting in back injuries for both of us, and a shoulder injury for me. Luckily, I could drive home and didn’t feel a lot of pain until we got to the X-ray lab that our family doctor recommended. The next morning I knew I was in trouble when I couldn’t get out of bed, put on my clothes or tie my shoes by myself. We were as pitiful as two drowning rats trying to survive on a sinking ship.

The cloud of healing

Our family doctor sent us to a clinic that specialized in injury rehabilitation. From the first exam, all the doctors, physical therapists and chiropractors treated us with such loving care that I felt like the Lord put us on a cloud and glided us through the intricate healing process. I could only trust in him and surrender my damaged body into their hands.

When you are with the same people 10 to 12 hours week for four months, you connect with them. One instant friend was Bruce, the brawny physical therapist who openly shared his faith. His special gift was deep tissue massage, the kind that “hurts so good” that you know it is healing you. His treatment is like getting tough love from a teddy bear. Whenever I thanked him for helping me heal, he wagged his finger at me and said, “Listen to me, girl, God is your healer. We are just his tools.”

The cloud hit the ground

One Friday in the fourth month of therapy, a new doctor scheduled me for a re-examination to evaluate my progress and phase me out of therapy. The cloud of serenity we had been floating on for more than two months hit the ground with a loud thud of fear! I lost my peaceful confidence that God would heal me here if I were given enough time. I reminded the doctor that my pain level was consistently high. He abruptly scheduled a nerve test for Monday, assuring me that a pain shot would take care of my pain. I couldn’t change his mind about the phasing me out of therapy.

His attitude frightened me. I trusted the Lord to heal me in this place. I didn’t want the temporary solution of a pain shot. A permanent healing was what I prayed for, and I was willing to continue treatments until I got it.

God is my healer

By the time I got to massage therapy an hour later, I was frustrated, fearful and frantic. Bruce comforted me with a beautiful story showing what God can do. A seventeen-year-old friend of his daughter had been in an accident and ended up underneath a jeep. She was left completely numb from the neck down and after five years of his working with her, she was walking at last. A few months earlier, she had called him and said she had just run six miles. Again, his words were, “Listen, girl, God is your healer. Everything will work out—just put it all out of your mind.”

Two days later, every song, scripture and prayer at the Sunday prayer meeting spoke to my heart as I praised God as my healer. I surrendered to whatever healing he had for me. I took my place in the prayer chair. The man who prayed for me asked God to work through the medical staff or whatever would heal me.

No pain!

I woke up the next day with no pain! None! God gave me the grace to endure the nerve test calmly and the doctor found no nerve damage. Praise God! The nurse postponed the evaluation exam and scheduled me for once a week follow-up observation for four weeks.

When I began therapeutic massage, Bruce found my muscles relaxed instead of knotted, and my body realigned perfectly. I told him about the prayer meeting and my healing. He stopped in amazement, looked me in the eye and said, “Listen, girl, fifteen minutes after you left Friday God spoke to me about you. He said, ‘I am jealous for her. She is my girl. I am her healer.’ So he is your healer and no one else.”

What joy to know that God sovereignly healed me in a unique manner that was unmistakably his way and in his timing.

Do you believe God is your healer? Can you trust him to heal you, with or without the cooperation of a medical staff?

(© 2012 revised 2017 Nancy H C Ward)

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Nancy Ward

Nancy Ward writes about conversion, Christian community, and Catholicism. After earning a journalism degree, she worked for the Diocese of Dallas newspaper and the Archbishop Sheen Center for Evangelization, then began her own editing service. She’s a regular contributor to CatholicMom.com, SpiritualDirection.com, CatholicWritersGuild.com, NewEvangelizers.com and a contributing author to The Catholic Mom’s Prayer Companion. Now, through her Sharing Your Catholic Faith Story: Tools, Tips, and Testimonies workshops, retreats, book, and DVD, she shares her conversion story at Catholic parishes and conferences, equipping others to share their own stories.

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