Day 20: The Lord Who Comforts and Cares
John 14:16
Goodbyes are hard. In the midst of what seems like a constant struggle with goodbyes in the military, I missed the fact that Jesus had to say goodbye to His beloved disciples. He took up our pain and bore our transgressions and ultimately had to leave behind those closest to Him.
My mom suffered illness most of my life. As a young girl, I remember praying for healing. I wanted to be able to do the same things other girls got to do with their moms. As a young woman, I continued praying, believing the Lord might perform a miracle in her life. I wanted to travel with her and wanted her to be able to be the energetic grammy she always wanted to be. As time progressed, she started to struggle with more illness, not less. I became weary.
But God did not leave her. In the end, bedridden and aloof, she started to ask to go home. When all of us thought she must mean her beloved New Hampshire, we now believe she meant her eternal home with Jesus. She got her wish in November. We had to say goodbye. For now.
In His perfect will, God chose not to heal her body on Earth, but I know she is in perfect health forever. God gifted us the relief of knowing she was no longer suffering. We don’t know why He chose this path, but we know He is good. He understands our pain in loss.
Reflection Prayer
Father, thank You that You empathize with us when we are weary and at a loss for what You are doing. We know you have a perfect will and perfect timing. Thank You for the longing in our hearts to be with You forever in our eternal home. Please comfort us in the loss of those that go before us. Give us a passion to share with everyone we meet what Jesus did for us so they can have that eternal hope too. Spirit, guide us in Your divine appointments and give us the words to speak. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Week 3: Christ Our Healer
Isaiah 53:4–5
As we focus on the life of Christ, this week’s theme is Christ Our Healer. God promises healing in both aspects—physical and spiritual. At times, He provides immediate physical healing to encourage gratitude towards God, which can lead to a deeper spiritual relationship, resulting in spiritual healing. Conversely, there are instances where spiritual healing is prioritized, altering the individual’s perspective on pain, and enabling them to endure while awaiting God’s physical intervention. During His time on Earth, Jesus healed many individuals and often remarked that their faith had healed them. Therefore, it is essential to pray with expectant faith. Ultimately, it is at God’s discretion whether He grants miraculous healing or offers the grace for endurance. When Paul implored God three times to remove the thorn from his flesh, God responded, “My grace is sufficient for you, and my strength is made perfect in your weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).
Reflection Questions
Have you or your family experienced supernatural healing?
How do you pray for an unbeliever’s healing?
How do you comfort someone who prayed for a miracle that didn’t happen?