Tackling Our Healing & Recovery

It’s sometimes hard to know where to start when we are in need of healing and recovery. Do we just ask God to intervene and then sit back and wait? There’s probably a little more to it. Our healing is a two-way street. We have to be seeking God in a sincere and constant way. While we are doing that, God can work with us and communicate with us much better. Then He can lead us through our part of our healing while He is doing His part.

Proverbs 4:20-22 can get us started in saying, “My son, give attention to my words; let your ear be turned to my sayings.  Let them not go from your eyes; keep them deep in your heart.  For they are life to him who gets them, and strength to all his flesh.” This healing and recovery thing requires a large commitment by us, as we let God work His ways.

One of our two lovely daughters-in-law, mother of our only grandchild, has had a setback recently. She has been very active in her life, held down a job, kept trim and has lived in a moral way recognizing the Lord in her life. She is a very independent person, doing her part in whatever she undertakes. Then one day things suddenly changed.

As a part of her exercise program, she has been attending Yoga classes to help her stay fit. She was at a class one day doing her stretching exercises when something popped. Her back was in deep pain, she started fainting and vomiting. She was rushed to the hospital, where preliminary indications were that she had an inoperable tumor on her spine that had finally ruptured. She had no previous warning of this issue.

She was taken to a spinal specialty clinic, where it was determined that most of it could be removed and that it was benign. Unfortunately, much damage had been done in the rupturing and the surgery to remove added to that damage. Both of her legs were paralyzed. She spent a month in a rehab unit before being released to her home for follow-up therapy three times a week. She also has a personal trainer that works with her at home the other 4 days.

While she has been very disciplined in her rehab activities, her doctors say that it will take up to a year for any significant improvement with no guarantee of returning to normal. She lives out of state, but my wife and I stay in close touch with her, our son and granddaughter.  We have made several visits to help out and for moral support. My wife told her that she is so “tough”.  With great enthusiasm she responded, “I’m not tough, I have to get better.”

In a recent communication with her, she said that she had found comfort in Holy Scripture and especially in a version of Psalm 37:34 (Living Bible) that she had edited to be in ‘first person’ as if they were her words. She paraphrased that scripture in this way: “I won’t be impatient for God to act, I will travel steadily along his pathway and in due season He will honor me with every blessing.” She is working hard on her part and trusting God on His part.

My daughter-in-law is faithful in her rehabilitation with technicians and trainers, but realizes that her faith in the Lord is even more important.  In Mark 5:34 we are told: “He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’"

In James 3:14-15 we hear: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

My wife and I have been inspired by our daughter-in-law. She married our son 16 years ago and we thought we knew her pretty well. We’ve loved her all these years, but the way she is responding to this life altering situation, has brought even more joy to our relationship with her. Her daughter, our granddaughter, will grow from seeing her mother respond to life’s bumps and hurdles in this way. Our son is also blessed to have such a life partner.