Finding Peace in Sickness – The God Who Heals
Thunderclap bolts of debilitating headaches hit me as I attended a church meeting. My head was in such pain that I could hardly concentrate on the Bible lesson. As I just had the AstraZeneca vaccine for Covid, it was natural to assume that it was due to the vaccination’s side effects. Little did I realize my health was about to take a turn for the worse.
The miraculous timing
I went for an MRI to rule out a brain clot. Surprisingly, the doctors found a slow-growing tumor the size of a walnut sitting between my optic nerves and pituitary gland. I was flabbergasted.
It so happened that I watched a series of documentaries about brain surgeries, and I recalled how most patients eventually died from tumors or complications. I could not help but think that would probably be my fate.
In my devastation, I prayed until my heart was at peace. It struck me that this tumor’s discovery was miraculous. As this type of tumor does not usually cause headaches, it would not have been detected so soon. The first sign of such a tumor is almost always visual impairment. This early discovery had saved me from going blind.
So quite calmly, I decided on how to proceed. Within a couple of weeks, I was prepped for the procedure.
Further complications
I went for two operations; one was to remove the tumor, and the second was to repair a possible bleed to the brain. The surgeries were a success.
However, for the next six weeks, I had further complications, including Cerebral Salt Wasting Syndrome and Diabetes Insipidus, which caused me to produce about 6 to 10 liters of urine a day. This was a lot more than my ability to keep up by drinking and thus had to be replaced intravenously.
The cause of these complications was the position of the tumor. It rested near the pituitary gland and a part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which oversees hormonal balance. During the removal of the tumor, these areas were stirred, so my hormones went haywire!
The doctor told me that these complications were uncommon. I would have to be in and out of ICU for the foreseeable future.
Surrendering to God
Throughout my stay in the hospital, I felt a profound presence of God, and my faith was continually refreshed as I spent much of my time praying for others. Once I began to pray for my friends, patients on the ward with me, and the hospital staff, all my worries vanished, and I felt at peace.
Even though I knew I had a slim chance of full recovery, the assurance that God was in control had given me the courage to move on and use my time as purposefully as possible. A burning desire to uplift others began to take root in my heart. I started to share God’s word with as many people as possible.
Jehovah-Rapha
God has many names in the Bible. Their meanings reveal different aspects of His character. In Hebrew, Jehovah-Rapha means “The God who heals.”
Do you believe in miraculous healing? I do.
At the time of writing, I’m completely healed. My doctors called my healing a “divine miracle” because the moment I was discharged from the hospital, all my symptoms disappeared within weeks.
My complete and inexplicable healing was unexpected. The hormonal balance in my body was restored. My hair has grown over my wound, and there is virtually no trace of scarring. When I run my fingers over the incision, I remember and know that God healed me.
God sends His people
Looking back, one of the things that kept my children and husband from total breakdown was the support from people. Their love and prayers kept me going.
My cell group (a Christian fellowship) created an unceasing “firewall” prayer chain whilst I was hospitalized. The cell group members and many of my friends were immensely supportive. I couldn’t have done it without them.
Personally, the whole ordeal would be so painful without God and the support of His people. Under the pressure of losing my life, I would have crumbled.
Not a bed of roses
The Christian life does not always promise us a bed of roses (nor miraculous healing). However, it does promise us the hope of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.
Jesus proved Himself as the Great Physician by healing the sick. He went from town to town, “healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23). In every way, Jesus proved that He was Jehovah-Rapha in the flesh.
Jesus came not only to heal the sick but also to treat our deepest “disease”—a spiritual one. Emptiness, hopelessness, and brokenness are all ailments stemming from a broken world. Seek Him with all your heart, and you will be able to find Him (Jeremiah 29:13). God has made this promise available to every one of us.
