His Ways…

A few Sundays ago, I heard an encouraging, but different, testimony in church.

Mark has been suffering from a kidney disease for approximately 30 years.  And as the disease has progressed, he has had to have a kidney transplant.  But even so, his condition continued to deteriorate.  It had now gotten to the point that the doctors were giving him very little hope.  There was one experimental treatment they were recommending, but that was extremely expensive ($6000/month), and there were no guaranteed results.

Mark could not afford the experimental treatment and he did not want to leave his wife destitue, so he declined from undergoing it.  But, he prayed, “Lord, if it be your will, make a way.”  Moreover, Mark prayed for a miracle. 

Some time passed.  An article was written about Mark and his wife by the local newspaper.

Soon after the article was written, Mark got a call from the Kidney Center at the hospital.  Mark assumed they were calling him in to pressure him again into going for the experimental treatment.  He prepared a short speech in response to the anticipated pressure.

When Mark and his wife arrived at the Kidney Center, they were taken to a room.  There the doctor said, “Mark, we have a box of medication here for you.  It is three months worth of treatment, and is fully paid for.  Now will you begin the experimental treatment?”

Mark didn’t have words.  He just thanked the Lord.  The treatment started.  And, after three months, when the doctors tested him, for the first time in 30 years, he was virus free!  Praise God!  Such positive results were unexpected.  It was a miracle.

The doctors informed Mark that the donors had agreed to pay for 3 more months of treatment.  That is approximately $36,000 worth of free medicine!

Mark needs to be virus free for 1 year before the doctors can give him a clean bill of health.  Please pray that God will provide for the remainder of the medication he needs.

Mark also shared that a few years ago when he was scheduled for a kidney transplant, and waiting for a donor match, he had been praying that God would just give him a miracle kidney.  He wanted to the kidney to just appear from thin air.  But, that did not happen.  At the time he was frustrated and wondered why the Lord had not given him his miracle kideny.  But then a friend helped Mark change his perspective. 

The friend pointed out to Mark that although the kidney had not appeared from thin air, his new kidney was still a miracle kidney.  Sometimes God works in ways we do not understand.  We want Him to do it one way…but He does it another.  Mark needed a new kidney and God provided.  A donor was found.  The surgery was successful.  Mark had a new kidney.  God did not do it Mark’s way.  He did it His way.  But it was still a miracle.

And later Mark realized that as he went through the surgery, he met many doctors and other medical personnel with whom he was able to share God’s love.  If he had not had the surgery, he would not have met these people.

Our ways are not God’s ways.  But, His ways are best.  The Bible tells us:

⁸ “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.  ⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9.

Mark was praying for a miracle in his life.  He wanted to be healed.  And God did it, but not in the way Mark expected.  However, God did it nonetheless.

In the same way, perhaps you are asking God for a miracle.  I want to encourage you, do not limit God.  Let Him do it His way.  Think beyond the box.

He will answer your prayer…just sometimes not in the way you expect…but He will answer!