Faith during illness

In these uncertain times with the coronavirus pandemic effecting the entire world, having faith in God is essential.  Faith is as important as each breath you take and each beat of your heart taken.  

The presence of God is evident as he provides healing to those suffering with an illness, even to more than 90% of those infected with the coronavirus.  He protects approximately 80% of those infected with the coronavirus from developing anything but minor symptoms of the infection. God is present in the scientist and healthcare professionals using their knowledge to diagnose, treat and prevent the coronavirus.

This truly is how God works. My faith in God during a crisis, an illness, or a catastrophe has kept me going.  Seeing God’s hand, mercy and grace in these situations, has increased my faith. 

When my daughter was gravely ill with Lyme disease, I was blessed as God provided family and friends to help everyday throughout the long seven months of her illness.  From the first day of her complete memory loss, friends from my Bible Study literally showed up at the hospital and stayed with me throughout the day of turmoil which ended without a diagnosis. 

Faith believes in the incredible.  For one and a half months, no health care professional could determine a diagnosis for my daughter’s complete memory loss, and debilitating headaches.  I was anxious for the safety and health of my daughter.  But my faith held onto believing the incredible.  I held on knowing there was a purpose for this journey.  I knew there was a reason that it was my daughter that was this gravely ill.  Prayer warriors sustained my faith as the days and weeks went by.  

Faith receives the impossible.  After a month and a half, my daughter was diagnosed with Lyme disease and 6 co-infections. However, there was very little assurance that she would ever get her memory back, let alone be healthy and functioning.  She was 14 years old when she became suddenly, gravely ill. As a nurse, I was discouraged when the diagnosis took 1 ½ months to be determined.  But then I was even more discouraged to realize, there was no real prognosis for my daughter.  The treating health care professionals, “just didn’t know” what was going to happen.  Complete memory loss was not a common symptom of Lyme disease.  

Keeping my faith wasn’t really hard during this time.  In reality, my faith grew during my daughter’s illness.  We were blessed through God by a faithful community; prayer warriors; and a beautiful Bible Study group.  We were blessed through God with provision of meals, helpers, the ability to pay for the healthcare not covered by the health insurance, loving and gracious homebound teachers, and from strangers.

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

1 John 5:14-15

The day that my daughter faced death as she went into septic shock seemed impossible. I was able to transport her to the hospital as she slipped into and out of consciousness, as her fingers and hands turned blue. As I pulled up to the Emergency Room, I had no idea how to get her out of the car and into the Emergency Room. As I got out of my car, somebody (not an employee) came right up to the car and asked if I needed help. I quickly told him of my need. He lovingly picked my daughter up from the car and carried her into the Emergency Room. Then, he left. To this day, I do not know who he was. I do not have a physical description of him. I know he was a gift from God at one of the darkest moments of my daughter’s battle with Lyme disease.

Within an hour, my daughter’s life was on the line of life and death. I was not allowed to stay in the room where the nurses and doctors were working to save her life. I stood right outside the curtain and watched through a small space between the curtain and the wall. I was scared and I was sad. I turned immediately to prayer. I prayed and surrendered my daughter to God at that very moment. I prayed for His will to be done whatever that meant and whatever that looked like for the rest of my life. My daughter had been a servant to God’s kingdom prior to her illness. She was always the friend to the least of these and helping others. I prayed that if her life on earth was over, I would understand. I prayed if she had more time to live here on earth, God knew what her life would be as a servant to His world. That day, God saved my daughter’s life her on earth.

 During my daughter’s battle with Lyme disease, I faced each day with a fresh start and a prayer for guidance.  Throughout the days, I looked for God in nature and in people.  Each day, I ended the day with prayers of thanksgiving for the blessings of that day and for the safety of my daughter.   

May each of you grow in your faith for each day of the coronavirus pandemic.  May you see God’s grace and mercy.  May we begin each day with prayers of comfort and peace for that day. During the day, may you be blessed with God’s provision.  And at the end of the day, may you pray prayers of thanksgiving for God’s protection and love.  May we learn to increase our faith in God during our trials and during the trials impacting those around us, whether it impacts a few or many.