But....Jesus always heals! (or does He?)

 Recently, my husband and I were in Lowe's looking for stuff. Like many of us do in Lowe's, we wander around looking for stuff we may or may not need. Lowe's and Home Depot are the adult version of Toy R Us. After we found what was needed for a home project, we were stuck there for  a while because of a major storm.

I always use my 'stick' when I'm there or Home Depot because of the lighting situation. The lights cause my vision to darken, which can make getting around difficult. My stick was the reason for curiosity from an older couple. I had my 'stick' in the buggy as they walked by. The gentleman asked me what it was. I explained that I was partially blind, and I use it to keep from running into things in Lowe's. The man experimented with the roller part of the stick. We carried on a conversation for a bit as I explained my visual anomalies. The man asked me if I believed in Jesus, and I said I definitely do. He then asked me if I believed Jesus could heal me. I said I did.

Yet...the conversation took an interesting turn. He said that if Jesus healed in the past, He would heal now and always would heal people. I told him that there had been several individuals tell me that they were praying for me, and because they were praying, I would definitely be healed. I have a problem with that. Only God/Jesus can heal anyone. We should never take the glory that our prayers are what caused the healing.

But...I digress and want to talk about the title "Jesus always heals." 

I couldn't sleep last night When this happens, I feel that the Holy Spirit is trying to get my attention. As I sat in the living room, I asked for clarification for why I was up at midnight. We had a conversation in my head. I told the Holy Spirit that I knew I hadn't blogged since June, but I couldn't think of what to write about. I was then reminded of my conversation with the Lowe's couple and the "Jesus always heals" comment.

When God via the Holy Spirit wants to tell us something, it may not be long conversations or complete sentences. My conversation wasn't, "Pam, you haven't been writing lately. Let's write about..." Nope, most of the time, it's just a word or a short phrase. This time was no different.

God via Jesus or the Holy Spirit does not always heal. We must be reminded of Paul and his affliction. He prayed 3 times for healing and was told, "No."

2 Corinthians 12:8-9

Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Whatever our afflictions are, we have been given them as a testimony to God's power and help in our lives. How powerful can our testimonies be when we tell others how God has been helping us through our adversities, afflictions, (name the problem here)? Change your "Why me, Lord?" to "How can I use this for the Lord?" There is not a person alive who is not going through a trial, entering a trial, or exiting a trial. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not ready to tell his or her story.

My condition cannot be reversed by man or medicine. My doctors, as wonderful and experienced as they are, cannot stop the ongoing damage, even as they throw many different medications at it, in hopes that something will slow my loss of vision down. Only God can undo or stop the ongoing damage. Will He? I don't know. He has been silent on that. The only message I did receive was in August of 2023, as I sat alone on the beach watching the waves. That message was, "You are going to go blind." It was as if He was preparing me.

Since that statement, God has not abandoned me. I feel His strength on my low days. I feel His presence within my Biblical Community (AP, NK, EW, SJ), and His glory within the powerful prayer warriors in my church. I want my testimony to be God's power was shown in my weakness. 

No matter what my future holds, God is in control. 

2 Timothy 2:1

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.