I was in my late 20s, attending a Bible study with a group of close friends. We had gathered many times before, and on this occasion, they unanimously agreed to pray for my healing. Having had people pray for my healing many times before, I was convinced that God could bend the rules and heal me completely — He just chose not to up to that point. I did my best to assume a posture of hopeful anticipation, thinking, “Perhaps this is the day.”
My Bible study friends gathered around me, laying hands on me, and one by one began asking the Lord to heal me. I fought against the twitchiness of my CP, trying to hold still under so many loving hands. This was nothing new for me. Then, I felt a new sensation in my feet — a pristine tingling that swiftly overtook my entire body. The Lord’s presence was so strong that everyone felt it. Suddenly, I had to stand, so I asked my friends to help me to my feet. I could feel my body changing! My legs straightened as new strength flowed into them, and muscles that had never responded before began to relax and move. I was taking my weight on my legs and relying less and less on my friends for support. The excitement in the group was palpable; I was being healed!
But then, as suddenly as it came, it left. The strength flowed out of my legs just as quickly as it had flowed in. I leaned on my friends again and eventually sat back down, heartbroken. We then sang a teary rendition of “Blessed Be Your Name,” and I began the work of coming to grips with not being healed. Over many weeks and tears, the Lord eventually communicated to me that He gave me a foretaste of the body I would one day have, but He wanted me to remain precisely as disabled as I was and still am.
If the Lord heals, it’s for His glory. If the Lord does not heal, He does so fantastically and knowingly, but also for His glory. In Matthew 4:23-24, we see Jesus taking His disciples and healing everyone around, effectively giving Himself a huge megaphone to proclaim His gospel. But His strength is made perfect in our weakness, and that is very, very good. We all have things wrong with us and apart from my sweet metallic stead (referring to my walker), I’m not different from anyone else. We all have thorns in our sides that God wants to use to display His work through. If no thorn yet graces your side, time will provide one. We all will be given ample opportunity to rely on Christ and see His awesomeness.
Jonathan Duncan
EFCC Member