IT IS 2020…HAPPY NEW YEAR! Thank you to all of my readers who have been with me over the years through my joys and pains! We have discovered together how Awesome our Lord, Papa, and the Holy Spirit truly are!

Thank you to my husband who encouraged me to write in the first place even when I was mentally and emotionally sick.

And, thank you to my brother, George Monk, who has edited my blogs and encouraged me through my journey of blogging. You are such a beautiful blessing to me!

As I was thinking about the Body of Christ, I am so sorry to hear about many of my brothers and sisters in Christ, family members, and friends dealing with physical and emotional illnesses at this time. Some are going through chemotherapy and radiation treatment. My father chose not to endure any more cancer treatments but to enjoy the rest of his life’s journey with his Lord, family, and friends; he is 86. Others are dealing with chronic pain and medicine is their only relief. No matter which one may be your case, I want to let you know that Jesus Christ is Our Great Physician and He loves you and is walking through the difficulties within you and with you!

I first posted this blog, Part 2, in March of 2017, I pray you to find comfort in it. Here is Part 1 if you want to read it. https://hispreciousgift.com/wordpress/jesus-our-great-physician/

In our last blog, we focused on Jesus Our Great Physician. We understand He alone heals not only our physical hurts but our emotional hurts as well. Sometimes when He does not heal us, it may not be because of our lack of faith, it may be because He has a greater purpose in using the sickness to teach us more of ‘Who He is’ less importantly of, ‘What He can do.’  A lot of people condemn others when they pray to be healed of ailments and do not get healed. They will say, “Stand on His Word,” “Believe His Word,” “If you have faith He will heal you,” “I am praying for you, just believe.” The previous words are true except for one point since He is The Great Physician; He may have other plans in mind for the illness. Sometimes He chooses others’ prayers to heal us, for example; the friends who lowered their friend through the tent’s roof for Jesus to heal him. Jesus replied, “It was your friends’ faith that healed you.” Sometimes He chooses medicine to heal us, Paul told Timothy, “Take a little wine for your stomach ailment.” Sometimes He chooses to wait to heal us and He is ‘Grace’ to carry us through it. Remember, Jesus is not a formula, He is a PERSON!

 

Let me share one experience I encountered years ago. I had a cyst on my left leg. It got bigger and bigger over the months. I was connected to women through our Women’s Aglow chapter in Pensacola, FL. We prayed fervently together for healing. I know our Lord’s healing power, He healed me of Beta-thalassemia, a rare and incurable blood disorder. He also delivered me from demonic powers, and other mental illnesses, so I knew from experience the healing power of my Lord. But, after praying for months and afraid to go to the doctor, I asked Jesus why He was not healing me? One day in prayer, my Jesus spoke to me and said, “Tresca, you know I can heal you, but you are afraid of surgery, aren’t you?” “You need to know that I am your doctor and I can heal you through the surgeon’s hands and there is no need to fear.” Wow! I discovered that day that faith was not directing me but fear. Faith and fear are enemies; the two are never compatible. I had to make a choice that day; will I allow the faith of my Lord Jesus to lead me or my fear of the unknown to lead me. I made a choice, I said, “Jesus, whatever You want to do, I surrender my fears to you, I am yours.” When I went to see the doctor for my first examination, he told me, the cyst will be removed through outpatient surgery and I would be awake to see everything that happened. “Oh no! I will be awake! I wanted to be asleep!” I thought to myself. Then, I heard the sweet words of my Lord whisper again in my heart, “I am here, I am your doctor and your surgeon, just rest in my arms.” The morning I woke up for my surgery, I was at peace; I could not explain it. When they prepped me for the surgery, I was laughing and talking to the doctor and nurse, even during the surgery. His grace was so amazing! The surgery was my second baby step in understanding Jesus as My Great Physician. He unveiled WHO HE WAS in a very tangible way. Over the years, we have walked together through many illnesses and surgeries and He has been faithful; I have learned to rest in the loving arms of My Great Physician’s.

 

We can never KNOW who Jesus is just by reading of Him nor learning of Him through the Bible, books, stories, or even this blog. ‘Knowing Him’ comes only by experiencing Him through life’s challenges, difficulties, by talking to Him, and listening for His voice as THE LIFE-GIVER in the midst of them. Our Lord is so amazing!

 

Prayer: Thank you for being My Great Physician and Healer of my body and soul! Remind me when I get anxious concerning the sicknesses or ailments that may affect my body. Please remind me, my body is OUR BODY because you live within me. I give my illnesses to you, no matter how long we have had them. You are using them for Your purpose and my good to teach me to trust you. Direct my paths through my illness no matter how long it takes. My greatest gift to you each day is TRUST. HERE IS MY GIFT OF THIS AILMENT TO YOU TODAY. I WILL TRUST YOU, LORD. AMEN