What do I call “a way of life?”
Recently, I was struck by a statement that came from two women…
At a recent women’s retreat, I closed my eyes to pray after finishing a time of speaking. When I did, I saw a picture of something that I had never seen before. I saw a set of teeth! (I know – you weren’t expecting that. Neither was I.) I knew that there was a reason that He gave me this picture, but come on, that’s a little weird, right? I asked the Lord about it and knew in my heart that I had a question to ask. So, with a bit of hesitation, I asked the question, “Does anyone here have problems with their teeth?” A woman shot her arm into the air and said, “I do.” We prayed for her. The Lord touched her and later I got to hear this “teeth story.”
She explained the on-going problems that she was having and the difficult, painful procedures that it required. She said that she never thought to pray for healing for this; she thought that it was just “a way of life.” I know that God touched her and believe that He will continue to do so.
The next afternoon, I talked with a woman that God had just healed of a 23 year lung condition that morning. (Read her story under “Happenings”/”Stories.”) In that conversation, she described the condition as “a way of life.” She used the same words that I heard the night before. It struck my heart and made me wonder how many times I’ve accepted things as “a way of life – ” be it in my life or someone else’s.
I did accept it when the doctors told me that I’d have arthritis in my foot for the rest of my life after an injury and surgery when I was 17. I found out that when the doctor says “for the rest of my life,” he’s not taking into account God stepping into the picture and bringing total healing 4 years later!
I’ve been thinking about this lately. God doesn’t just repair…He restores! He makes all things new! Never in the way I imagine and certainly not in my time frame, but what a challenge came to me through those incredible women who shared their stories.