Truly and Completely

We met every Sunday night for an evening of prayer. At first, it was just a few of us gathered. But over time, pretty soon the whole house was filled with people seeking God, seeking help, seeking healing. Of all kinds.

Rick was one of them. A few years prior, Rick had been sitting in a fast food restaurant when a light fixture from the ceiling fell and landed on his head. From that point on Rick had debilitating headaches. The medical world could offer him no relief. But instead, warned him that he probably wouldn’t be able to hold a job and to prepare himself for that kind of future. Well, they were wrong. Not only did Rick continue to work but started his own business. All while dealing with incredible pain in his head.

When Rick came, he simply asked for prayer. So we prayed. The room didn’t shake. No one was slain in the spirit. No relief came to his head. Until the next morning. Rick woke up, for the first time in years, with no headache. He couldn’t believe it. He actually went through his day as those walking on glass, so fearful that if he turned too quickly or moved too suddenly the headache would return. By the time he went to bed that night, he realized or, at least, hoped that God had healed him. But with so many years of pain under his belt, he was a little shy at believing it to be true.

And then his worst fear happened. He got a headache. And he panicked. He thought the pain was back. But, he soon discovered that it was just a regular old headache that went away by popping a couple of ibuprofen. After a while Rick determined and finally celebrated that he had been truly and completely healed.

Yesterday was my last meeting with our Divorce Care group. When I was asked to lead this ministry, I knew I was ready. Knew I was healed. Even though in the back of mind, I wondered. Was my healing truly complete or was my confidence based on the lack of attention I now gave to my own divorce?

Well, for 13 weeks we talked about every pain and challenge under the sun that came from divorce. And every week, as I prepared for our meeting, watching the videos, in the back of my mind, I was, like Rick, preparing myself to have some kind of pain dredged up, a pain that I thought I had been healed of only to suddenly discover that I really wasn’t.

But it never happened. Not a trace. Not an inkling. Not anything. Every topic simply brought back memories. And with each memory, I was pain free. The pain had been sealed up, never to be experienced again. So as I drove home, I couldn’t stop smiling. Because, I honestly knew for the first time, that I was truly and completely healed. He who began a good work in me was faithful to complete it.

Well, you can imagine, my thoughts are all about healing today. And God’s faithfulness. He is Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals. Sometimes it happens overnight; most often, over time. But it does happen. In our bodies. In our minds. In our souls. In our hearts. I believe it’s God’s greatest desire to see us through to our complete healing. 

And by experiencing this example of God’s healing in my own life, it gives me tremendous hope and faith to continue to pray, for however long it takes, for others and even myself. Knowing that God heals. Not just a little, not just a portion. But truly and completely.