God Is On Our Side!

When Kaylee was diagnosed at only eight years of age with an incurable disease, I was completely devastated.   I desperately wanted to ask for prayer for her healing, but I honestly did not know if I should.  After all, there were people with chronic illnesses everywhere.  Why should I believe that my daughter deserved to be healed any more than anyone else did?  When I would mention the word healing to anyone, I would usually get the same responses:  "It may not be God's will to heal her." or "God may choose to use this disease in her life to bring Him glory."  As a mother, watching my child suffer and knowing the possible long term prognosis for her life, this was hard for me to accept.  It felt almost like a death to me; a permanent death of her health and of the hopes and dreams that I once had for her life. 

So many people were praying for Kaylee following her diagnosis.  I was truly grateful for the prayers, but I couldn’t help but wonder what exactly it was that they were praying.  Naturally I assumed that they were praying for Kaylee to feel better and to recover quickly from the very weakened state that she was in at the time (her weight had plummeted to less than 40lbs).  Yet I began to pick up from the start that people do not really know what to do (as far as prayer) with these diseases that are not terminal, yet have no known cure.  If a person has cancer, for example, it is acceptable to pray for a full recovery and even a healing.  If a disease is "treatable" however, it is like we are left in limbo when it comes to prayer.  It is honestly a helpless place to be because these diseases can certainly lead to an early death along with many other life-long complications.  In addition to this, because you are dealing with immune deficiency, these diseases can multiply (which happened to Kaylee before she was healed).  Although it is extrememly serious and life-long,  people seem to have a block of some sort when it comes to how to pray.

I do remember however, one particular evening (during Kaylee's hospital stay) a man came in with anointing oil and asked me if he could pray for Kaylee.  I wasn’t really sure what to think about this, and honestly I was a little uncomfortable at first.   I remember that he anointed Kaylee’s forehead with oil and began to pray for her healing.  Although this was a bit outside of my comfort zone at that time, as he began to pray, I felt a peace come over me that I had not yet felt.  I wanted to believe that the words coming from his mouth could be our reality!  I will never forget this moment of hope, as I truly believe that this precious man’s prayer played a very significant role in what God was about to do for Kaylee.

In the first weeks following our diagnosis, I continued to be uncertain as to whether I should ask God to heal Kaylee or not.  Even so, my desire for Kaylee to be well again was so strong that I began to secretly say prayers, which would go something like this:  God, if you will make Kaylee well, I promise to be a better person.  I will live my life entirely for you.  I will do anything you ask of me! …..I began to beg God! 

One night as I was sitting in church praying one of these prayers, something came over me that would change my perspective of everything.  I was suddenly overcome with God’s love for Kaylee!   In that moment, it just hit me that God loved her even more than I did, and that He wanted what was best for her life!  I didn’t have to beg or plead at all! The only thing I had to do was to seek Him with all of my heart and obey Him concerning her life.  That may seem like a "no-brainer", but somehow in the midst of all my emotions, I had lost perspective of my role as her mother. The truth is, she belonged to God, not to me.  I had just been given the honor and priveledge to raise her (for God).  It was as though an enormous burden had been lifted off my shoulders in that moment.  I realized that God was completely on our side!

As we begin to pray concerning these diseases, it is critical that we do not see God as being a billion miles away, or that He is up there in Heaven deciding if we are worthy or if we have enough faith for Him to give us what we are asking for.  Let's face it, we will never be worthy enough!  Praise God, it does not work that way at all!  God is actually right by our side, fighting with us!  He wants what is best!  Why would He not want us healthy?  It is so important that we keep this perspective!    

Again, there are so many things about disease and healing that we will never understand this side of Heaven.  Our minds are not able to comprehend the higher ways of God.  Yet, His Word is very clear on how we are to view  disease and sickness.  All we have to do is look at how Jesus responded to disease during His time on earth and what he gave his disicples. "Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness."  Mathew 10:1   

We may not be seeing many healings this day in time, but I do not believe it is because God doesn't desire for us to be healed.  When I look back, I can see so clearly that my perspective early on, as well as my hesitence to even ask God for a healing, could have prevented Kaylee's healing from the start.  In addition to this, I have learned that healing often times comes through the breaking down of principalities and strongholds (things beyond our understanding).  Therefore, it may require time, persistence, and God’s clear leading and direction. We cannot give up too soon! 

It took nine years for Kaylee to be completely delivered from disease, yet she was not symptomatic for most of that time.  As I started to pray and believe for her full recovery, God led me every step of the way.  She lived the majority of those years in good health (without any medication!)  God first led me to put Kaylee on a special diet that completely turned her around for several years. I have so many things that I am anxious to share about Kaylee’s healing, but for today this is what I want you to be assured of….God is right by your side and on your side!   

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