4 Keys to Seeing God Work the Miraculous

I suffered with a misdiagnosed sickness that ravaged my body.  My digestive system imploded and I continued to lose weight uncontrollably.  Yeah,I know, that was a problem I wished I had all my life too.  But this was for real and serious.

Friends later told me they thought I was dying.  Honestly, there were days I wondered.

I prayed for God to heal me but I grew worse.

After a couple of months tracking the symptoms and researching on line I figured it out.  I’d mysteriously and suddenly become lactose intolerant.

I was so extremely lactose intolerant that even a hint of butter on some green beans would wipe out my system.  I was trapped in an ill functioning body and chained to the vicinity of a bathroom.  For an outdoor adventurer I felt like I was living in a suburb of hell.

I prayed, “God why me?  Why won’t you heal me?”

At times I felt God had deserted me.  I’d prayed for and watched others on occasion be healed miraculously.  Yet, when I needed it most God was silent.

I struggled to understand and felt frustrated and at times angry with God.

I was training in and teaching karate at the time.  One of the other instructors, Ross, noticing my face blended in with my white training gi. He asked me what was going on and I told him.

Meanwhile I continued to lose weight and strength though at a slower pace.  I was learning to somewhat control the symptoms.   Yet, eating out and travel was almost forbidden.

One day Ross sent me an email saying that by coincidence he had come across an ad for a product and regimen for restoring a person’s system from lactose intolerance.  He’d been looking for lactose free recipes for me when he accidentally saw it.

I researched it and then just followed the regimen without buying the overpriced product.  It took about six months to be fully restored.  But today I feel healthier than I had for a long time.

God did heal me.  Oh, not in the way I initially asked, but I think in a much better way.

A few charismatic friends said it wasn’t a miraculous healing.

Yet, I disagree.  God gave me a miraculous coincidence that brought health in complete way.

I thought of this as I read a story of Jesus.  He lands on the shore of the Sea of Galilee after sailing across during the night.

As soon as he lands people recognize him and quickly go and tell others.  Those who were sick either walked or were carried to him.

They thought, “If I can even just touch his robe I’ll be healed.”

And it says Jesus healed everyone.

As I look back at my own experience and this story I see several keys to experiencing God’s sometimes miraculous healing.

First, the people on the shore recognized Jesus.

If we don’t know him how can we expect anything from him?

Second, they believed enough to share the news and bring others.

Something affirming happens when we’re confident enough in our faith we can share it to encourage someone else in normal course of our lives.

Third, they believed Jesus would heal them.

So did I, though honestly at times I wondered and struggled.

Fourth, they didn’t dictate to Jesus how to do it.

They were open to anything.   I would guess people were healed in a variety of ways.

I didn’t care how God healed me just as long as he did.  I left it up to him and tried every alternative.

Then they found healing and so did I.

Have you ever experienced this?

(Matthew 14: 34-36)

Photo Credit:  Teresa Boardman, Creative Commons