When Mountains Don't Move

I come from a healing ministry background and have personally experienced numerous supernatural manifestations of God's power and love. I am a confident believer that God heals the same today as He did 2000 years ago. However, despite my firm belief, "my" faith has been severely challenged over and over again. Sometimes mountains just don't move.

Shortly after I was engaged to be married, my fiancé made an appointment with a doctor to see about some health issues that had cropped up. After a series of tests, both a diagnosis and prognosis were given. The diagnosis was that she had contracted a life-threatening illness. The prognosis was that she had seven years to live.

God had filled me with such love for her that even when confronted with the harsh reality of the long-term effects of her disease, I could not bear the thought of being without her. I considered that far worse than any hardships we could ever face through the years.

I was active in ministry, and the news didn't hit me that hard because I figured the Lord would heal her, and we'd soon get back to normal. During the first few years of our marriage, there were various times of physical problems and concerns but nothing seemingly insurmountable.

However, at the seven-year mark, my wife's health began to rapidly deteriorate—so much so that she was put into an intensive care unit at the Hospital for almost six weeks. The doctors were trying everything they knew to control what was happening to her body, but nothing was working.

Soon after her move into the ICU, a nurse told me that the doctor needed to see me right away. I tried to swallow the big lump in my throat as I headed to the hospital. Her doctor said that things did not look good and that I should prepare for the inevitable. I was devastated and afraid. Why was God letting this happen? We had gone to healing crusades—even brought 'faith healers' over to the house. Our church had called for fasting and prayer for her recovery.

I was confident in my faith that God could heal her, but so far, He had not. I read and studied every Scripture that spoke of healing, looking for something I may have missed - trying to find answers, but no easy answer came. The doctors had done all they could. The decision was made to send her home to die.

Months went by with no change. I was numb from the circumstantial roller-coaster I was on and withdrew emotionally. I was so tired of all the pain and stress that I just didn't feel I had the strength to do anything. The storms of life have a habit of crashing one's hopes and dreams on the rocks of reality.

30 years after the Doctors spoke their word-curse prognosis, my wife was still alive! Everything I had learned about faith and healing before that time proved insufficient to provide answers and solutions. Yet, at the same time, my understanding of God's grace, mercy, and sovereignty has dramatically increased.

Over my life, as one who has constantly suffered in the depths of despair and sorrow, I can genuinely say that His grace is "sufficient" and His "strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Cor 12:9 KJV).

I know of many faith-filled humble, and repentant Born-Again Believers who have health challenges. I have seen many treated as second-class Christians because they weren't "healed" and then accused of living in unconfessed sin or lacking faith. This has made many feel disqualified to pray for the healing of others because of their struggles.

One day while Jesus and the disciples were out fishing,

"Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We're going to drown!' Jesus replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm" (Matt 8:24-26 NIV).

Why did He say that to them? Didn't the Disciples prove they had faith in Jesus by going to Him in the first place? Too often, people think that faith in Jesus is something they can possess and that it guarantees they won't have bad experiences. Yet, here Jesus is telling the Disciples that faith is actually trusting Him to get THROUGH the storms of life—not just keeping them away from them! Jesus didn't abandon His Disciples. He was right there with them through the storm.

Faith without works is dead (James 2:17). The working of faith is trust. People can choose to live their life tossed around by the devil and his tormenting fears, or they can boldly believe the Word of God and trust their Savior through the storms of life.