THE FAITH FACTOR: In the Midst of a Fiery Trial There is Hope at the End

by Joan Vetter

During worship last Sunday morning our worship leader Brad led us in a new song. The words were: "Oh no, you never let go - through the calm and through the storm - in every high and every low - oh no, you never let go. I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on. And there will be an end of these troubles, but until that time I'll hold on."

I thought of how perfect these words were for those individuals with chronic illness. In the midst of a fiery trial sometimes it is hard to see the light at the end. We can start to lose our hope that there will be an end. We look at the now and forget the Word of God that says in Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then verse 13 declares that when we seek Him with all our hearts that we will find Him and He will bring us back from the land of our captivity.

Whenever we hear of an American soldier having been captured by our enemy we all join our concern for him and his family. As Christians when we see a fellow Christian going through a time of trial, it is time to stop judging, to begin to pray and do all we can to help that person. I often judge myself by comparing the concern I feel for someone else with how I would feel if it were someone in my own family. In truth we are in the family of God, and the Lord wants to give us His compassion for another family member.

I believe when many people are joining their hearts to lift another's burden up before the Father, there is a greater power for breakthrough.

As an example, on Monday, January 8th, my friend Linda Richardson was diagnosed with a tumor in her brain the size of a tangerine. Because the situation was so life threatening, the word spread and 60 people were in the emergency room to pray and support her. Her entire church began to cry out in prayer on her behalf, rebuking the tumor like vultures devouring their prey. Surgery was scheduled for Thursday.

Meanwhile Linda was in perfect peace - trusting in God for the outcome – and answering her cell phone every few minutes to hear someone else say they were praying. One thing she has maintained from the very beginning is that Jesus bore her sickness and that healing is in the blood covenant and belongs to her. She was like David in Psalm 57:1, making her refuge in the shadow of God's wings until these calamities have passed by. She chose to have a steadfast heart, and to keep on praising God, and to represent the Lord well through the time of sickness.

Her surgeon informed her that she would probably wake up with a swollen black and blue face, not able to talk, and perhaps be in ICU for several weeks. The night before surgery her friend stayed with her and they prayed most of the night. She woke up from surgery talking, with no black or blue or swelling and went home in 5 days.

Later, a doctor came in while she was alone and informed her that her brain was full of cancer and then left. She started praying to get her emotions under control and her phone rang. It was a woman from Malaysia calling to say that while she was praying for Linda about a shield of faith, she had a vision of a baseball field. The devil was the pitcher and he was throwing fireballs at Linda. Before they would hit an angel stepped in front of her and whacked the fireballs back at the pitcher where they exploded.

Linda's travels on this road of sickness often encountered bumps and potholes – and she went through a few detours. Once she spent 5 days in the hospital after having a brain seizure. Her left side was paralyzed and her speech affected. Again prayers went out for her and in 24 hours all adverse effects disappeared.

Another time she developed a blood clot in her groin. Watching her I would surely not say it was an easy road; however she persevered and is grateful for the prayers and the practical support of others.

In June Linda went back for the reading of her latest MRI. Her doctor was grinning from ear to ear, and kept saying, “You look good, you look good! It is all clear!” There was no sign of growth of any cancer cells.

One of the keys to victory for Linda was the amazing prayer support, however having an illness such as Lyme disease can be so difficult due to the fact that you don't look sick and the public and the medical community does not understand the disease. How often all of us have longed to just be understood - "don't tell me what I need to do - just stand with me and try to understand what I'm up against." That is one of the greatest blessings of knowing the Lord - to have someone who totally understands where we've been, where we are and what is in our future; and loves us unconditionally.

Since the Spirit of Jesus is the Spirit of prophesy, as we come to Him in prayer He will give us Words to speak to others that will bring life and hope. Then not only will we be fruitful in our land of affliction, but we will be lights along a dark path to others who are going through hard times.