God's Answer Was Good

Sandy's pastor husband was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. For ten months Sandy fasted every Wednesday and for a while his condition improved. But then the symptoms returned, and Sandy felt overwhelmed by the pressures of his illness. One day she cried to God, "I can't do this any more. I can't go through two more years like the last two."

Suddenly Philippians 4:13 came to her. "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." With those words came the assurance that with His help she could endure whatever lay ahead.

The next two years he battled infections that resulted in hearing loss, fatigue, and depression. But although his physical condition did not improve, God began, in subtle ways, to change his attitude toward his illness. For the first time, he prayed, "Lord, I am tired of dealing with this illness. I'm giving it completely over to You so that You can handle it for me."Immediately the family saw a difference in him. Although he was still tired, his spirits improved.

God also spoke to Sandy about attitudes she needed to change. Often she did not want to accept responsibility for her actions, so she tried to deflect the blame onto him. She gave that area of her life to God and another burden lifted from their marriage.

One day God helped Sandy see that by answering "no" to her prayers for physical healing, He had said, "Yes" to many other types of healing. For the first time she was able to say, "Thank You, God for not answering that prayer as I asked."

Francois Fenelon prayed, "Lord, I know not what I ought to ask of Thee; Thou only knowest what I need; Thou lovest me better than I know how to love myself. O Father! give to Thy child that which he himself knows not how to ask."

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?...If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matt. 7:9, 11).

Aletha