I Asked. God Answered. Lesson Learned.

How A Soldier’s Testimony Opened My Eyes

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I had just read Matthew 15:29-31 where Jesus goes up to the top of a mountain and heals a multitude of people. The people marveled at these healings, noting that even those who were maimed had been healed. Imagine, people with permanent injuries (some perhaps even missing body parts) were healed. That sounds amazing but it left me with a question which I asked of God. There was no point in hiding my question as He knew what was on my heart before I formed the thought. I asked, “God, why are some who are maimed not healed?” I did not expect an answer and I definitely did not expect God to answer in the way did.

A day or two after asking my question I was listening to a Focus on the Family program with an interview of a wounded veteran. This veteran shared how he was injured in battle and how God is using his injuries to help others. He spoke of how he even had the chance to show God’s love to a man who was nearby when he was injured but was wearing the uniform of the enemy. The two met many years after his injury and his one time enemy recognized him when he heard what happened during the war. The injury helped these two men becoming friends. It was a powerful testimony that left me praising my Lord.

Sometimes instead of healing the maimed, God uses their injuries to reach others for Christ. In so doing He offers people the opportunity to receive healing from something much deeper than physical injuries. No, I do not buy into the idea of God allowing or causing injuries just so He can use them and I am not writing this to give a one size fits all answer as to why God allows certain things to happen. I do believe He works all for the good of those who love Him and are called by His name (Romans 8:28). In this case He used this solder’s testimony to answer my question and to reach the lost for Christ.

Had I listened to this program a few days earlier or a few days later I likely would not have recognized that this was one of many answers to my question. I would not have recognized how God generally heals and when He does not it is because something big is on the horizon. (What I heard on the radio is just one way God can make something great out of what seems to us to be something bad.) God orchestrated the timing so that I would recognize His answer. I thank God, praising Him for answering and for making His presence known to me in this way.