The Rest of the Story

Since I started this blog last spring, I utter a constant prayer throughout each month, “Lord, what do you want me to write about this time?”  I try to keep my eyes and ears open to His leading for a topic.  In addition, thanks to past writing classes, this little phrase, “Write about what you know,” frequently runs through my head.

As we approach the end of October, 2015, what do I know? What is God leading me to share about?  It’s a no-brainer this time. I have to finish my recent story. I have to. Because I promised I would.

To read parts one and two of this journey, you’ll have to go back to my May and July blogs to find out how it all began. For the rest of the story, I’ll pick it up at the end of last month.

By September, the herniation in my lower back was worse than ever. My leg pain was excruciating and constant. Not only could I not walk straight, but I was beginning to lose strength and reflexes – not a good sign. In addition, all other options, medication, chiropractic care, injections brought temporary relief at best.  So a second MRI was ordered to see if I would be a candidate for back surgery.

Lying flat on my back on that hard surface was challenging to say the least. If you been there, you know! My back ached so bad I kept asking if I could wiggle, just a little, in between the obnoxiously loud clanks and clatters. Of course the technician wouldn’t let me. “I have to start all over if you do. Don’t move!” he pleaded.

So to distract myself from the unbearable desire to squirm, I began to talk to my Lord. “Okay, God, you’ve got to help me through this.” I said. “PLEASE help me get my mind off of my back!” As the clanging persisted so did my rambling prayer, “Hey, and while you’re at it, why don’t you just heal me here and now!” I liked that idea. “Yes, that’s it, God, right before the technician’s eyes, you could heal that herniation and put everything right back where it belonged.” It was working. My mind was busy praying and my body relaxed.

I lay peacefully. But my petition continued, “Seriously, God, if you’d just heal me, I’ll tell everyone I know what you did for me.  I’d truly give you all the glory.”

I’m sure many of you have offered the same deal.  It’s hard not to when you want something so badly.

It certainly wasn’t the first time I prayed for healing.  Just  about ever day, I asked God for restoration of my health. In addition, on four separate occasions, one or more persons prayed over me, including a few of our elders and their wives who followed God’s instructions in James 5:13-14:

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.”

In addition, countless others – friends, family, and strangers – prayed for healing for my back and relief from the pain.

My back was not healed on the MRI table that day. No supernatural healing came my way. So surgery was set for early October.

I took it in stride, though, as I strongly believe God uses all sorts of methods for healing – from supernatural on-the-spot healing to the latest medical intervention.

In fact, if you read the gospels in the New Testament, you’ll find Jesus healed people in a wide variety of ways. Indeed, Jesus rarely used the same healing method twice.

Take blindness, for instance. In Matthew 9, two blind men cried out for healing.  Jesus touched the two men and declared them healed.  In Mark 10, Bartimaeus is healed with just a word from Jesus and no physical touch.  However, in John 9, Jesus formed mud with spit and dirt and placed it on a man born blind. This time healing came when the man obediently washed the dirt away.

Three cases of blindness. All healed with different methods. But their common denominator was JESUS.

I believe Jesus has a Personal Healing Plan for each one of us. Sometimes He chooses  to involve more complicated approaches and sometimes not. Sometimes He chooses to heal us while we’re still walking on this earth, and as many of you know, sometimes healing is complete in our heavenly home.

In the meantime, we wait and we pray. We seek the Great Physician and ask for his PHP to be revealed.

But the wait can be hard.

On one particularly difficult Saturday morning in late September, I woke up and immediately the tears flowed. Normally, I would experience at least a few minutes of respite before I moved and would treasure a pain-free moment or two.

Not that morning. That day welcomed me with shooting, burning jolts before I even opened my eyes.

Seeking relief, I hobbled to the kitchen and stared out the window. It was cloudy with just a hint of blue peering in the horizon.

I grabbed my pen and journaled, “These are such dark days. Hope, like a sunrise on a cloudy day, is just beyond my reach. I can see its promise. I can imagine its warmth and sweetness. But I can’t taste it today. Like Job of old I hear well-meaning advice from friends and family, but nothing works. I’ve tried it all and am worse than ever. God is my only hope. Yet He has refused to heal me. He loves me, I know, and comforts me. He holds my hand and feels my pain. So I will hold on to Him with what strength I have left. I will walk the path on which He leads me. I have no choice.”

I managed to get through what was one of the worst days of pain to date.

Sunday dawned and before I readied for church I happily lay in bed experiencing once again a few pain-free moments.  “Thank you, God,” I breathed. “Maybe today won’t be as bad as yesterday.” Slowly, slowly, I began to move and headed to the shower. I thanked God again, when I realized I was actually feeling a little relief in my leg that day.

Later in the afternoon, I speculated, would this be a ‘one-day wonder’ or maybe, just maybe, would I have two good days in a row?

The next morning, I praised God again, when I my leg continued to function fairly normally.  My back hurt, but the shooting, burning pain had subsided.

“Wow! Thank you, God for two good days!”

On the fourth day, yes FOURTH day, I realized, “It’s a record!” I had never had four consecutive good days since I hurt my back.

Then four turned into seven.

So I called the surgeon.

I had serious questions anyway about my recovery and my post-surgery limitations. He curtly answered all my questions, as good surgeons do, then I added, “Hey, the pain in my leg is better. My back still hurts, but my leg is better. What does that mean?”

“It means you don’t need surgery.”

WHAT? STOP. NO WAY! You have GOT to be kidding me!

I didn’t believe him. I called my regular doctor and went to my pre-op appointment anyway four days later.

After my examination, my doctor said, “Gretchen, your strength is still a bit weak, but your reflexes are returning.” I couldn’t believe my ears. “You have no permanent nerve damage and YOU DON’T NEED SURGERY,” she declared. “I believe your back is healing.”

Then I cried. Yep, I cried like a baby.

Today, not only is the pain in my leg totally gone, but I have very little pain in my back.  I am still very careful not to lift anything heavy and I’m a long way from normal exercise as I have zero core strength. But I’m improving every day.

I have been told that a person’s body will sometimes absorb the herniation on its own and heal itself.  I’m sure something like that has occurred as I have no nerve issues anymore. However, I give full glory and honor to our Lord for His healing power and the amazing bodies he gives us that can heal so wonderfully!

So there it is, “The rest of the story” as Paul Harvey used to say. I had to share it. Though I jokingly made a deal with God back there on the MRI table, I had to fulfill my promise.

Thankfully, healing is no joke to God. He has a Personal Healing Plan for each one of us. Whether our restoration comes here on earth or in heaven with Him, He is our Great Physician.  I know many of you are still waiting for healing. You may be dealing with chronic pain or terminal illness with little or no hope.  Please know that He hasn’t forgotten about you.  Cling to the promises from His word. And remember when you can hardly hold on anymore, He still holds you.

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Gretchen Huesmann

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