Healing

Following an inspiring talk on Sunday night, I was encouraged to pray for healing for one of my children from a minor skin complaint that has been a bother for a few years. We prayed together about it and examined our faith level: did we really believe that God could, would, take away this problem? My child confessed to me 'half' a belief and I confessed my own meagre 'half' but, we hoped, God would count the two halves together! I also felt that I needed to talk about how God sometimes had a reason for not healing. Just like when we took our cat to the vet for his jabs which we knew was vital for him but he would never understand, sometimes there are things that we don't like but God knows are for the best.
I woke up yesterday curious and excited. I resisted the temptation to wake my child and waited until breakfast time to ask. No change. Nothing. I have to say I am puzzled but I am not rocked and I will be praying more over this. My child's reaction? "God must have a reason."

Later in the morning another child had a meltdown over fractions and, when nothing I could say or do could bring consolation or motivation, I realised that I had a squeaky-voiced, feverish, sick child on my hands. I administered a dose of Calpol, a cuddly rabbit and a CD book to listen to in bed and, again, I prayed for healing. An hour later my child was back downstairs, calm and happy and ready for life.

It was only this morning, as I reflected on this, that I realised that God had acted! Our prayer had been answered and the Kingdom of Heaven had broken through. My natural cynicism was quick to dispute this healing: colds come and go pretty fast. But my faith says: not in an hour!
I had already thought what I would do if the skin condition was healed: I would blog about it, I would e-mail friends, I would testify in church on Sunday ... And yet it took me nearly 24 hours to even notice that God had stepped in and answered a different prayer! I wonder how much else I have missed because I am expecting God to act a certain way, that being my way. I am excited by how he is opening my eyes!