God’s Waiting Room

Testimonial

This is not one of my normal posts, because my life recently has been anything but normal. This is a post of testimony to praise, honor and give glory to our awesome and loving God. God has glorified Himself to me in many ways this past year.

Breast cancer…why me?

I’ve not had a great deal of trials in my life…I’ve been very blessed and I always thought my faith was strong. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in July of 2019, and when that battle began, my faith was tested. I asked the Lord, “Why did you let this happen to me? ” Through several spiritual readings and devotions, the Lord made it clear to me that I should not be asking Him that question. I should be asking Him, “What do You want me to do with this?”

Are the crushing blows in life that we experience allowed so we can feel the presence of God? Do they happen so we are forced to look beyond the things on earth and experience moments where God makes His presence known? I read a phrase in one of my devotions that has stayed with me:

“Diamonds show up best on black velvet. Help me to see Your glory on the background of dark circumstances.“

God’s Waiting Room

You most likely can relate to the experience of sitting in a waiting room to see a doctor. Sometimes our Lord places us in His waiting room of faith. This is where a Christian learns to exercise their faith and experience an only God moment. While we’re in His waiting room, we allow God to use that season to build our faith, to grow our trust and to shape our character. God used this life event to test my faith and I can truly say that I couldn’t have made it through that battle without Him. He placed prayer warriors in my life that helped me through it…family, church family and friends. I could feel their prayers working and my faith increasing in Him each day.

Through the waiting, God wants us to discover the truth that He is enough.
• In the waiting, there is provision.
• In the waiting, there is preparation.
• In the waiting, there is purpose.

I came to rely on the Lord in ways that I never had before. God is always there working behind the scenes in ways we may never understand.“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen (our circumstances), but on what is unseen (God’s presence). For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (Parenthesis added by me)

Elijah’s Waiting Room of Faith

There is an event in 1 Kings 17:17-24 that I will paraphrase.
While Ezekiel was lodging in the house of a widow, her son died. The widow approached Ezekiel carrying her dead son and asked him, “What do you have against me O Man of God? Did you come here to punish me for my sins by killing my son?” Elijah took her son and carried him upstairs, laid him on the bed and cried out “Lord my God, why did you allow such evil upon the widow that I’m staying with by killing her son?” Then Elijah stretched himself over the boy three times and cried out “Lord my God, please give this boy’s life back to him.” The Lord listened to Elijah and brought the boy back to life. Elijah took the boy down to his mother and said “Look, your son is alive!” The woman said, “Now I know you really are a man of God and you do speak the Lord’s word.”

• In that room, while no one watching, Elijah learns to exercise his faith.
• Elijah experiences an only God moment.
• Elijah was in the waiting room of God and he allowed himself to be shaped by God.
• That waiting became a training ground where Elijah learned to completely trust God.

Trusting Jesus

Strong faith doesn’t just happen the day you are saved. It takes daily determination and an intentional decision to completely trust in God. Spiritual growth will result from trusting in Jesus Christ. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

When I’m praying and asking the Lord to take care of a problem in my life, I picture myself holding that problem in my hands and laying it down at the foot of the cross. Let go, relax, be still and know that I am God is what Psalm 46:10 is saying. He transforms our heart and our character through the waiting.

Cancer treatment has come a long way. The medication administered now to prevent nausea and infection from chemotherapy treatments are a God send – literally. I’m so thankful that He has guided and directed the field of oncology. Thanks to Jesus, I went through chemo and radiation with very few problems.

Additional Answered Prayer

Jesus has also been there for me in another area of my journey…medical expenses. The insurance I had at the time, denied coverage for my cancer treatments because they determined it to be a pre-existing condition. To make a long story short, the way this insurance company handled my claims caused me to report them to my state representative and our state Department of Insurance.

The medical bills from numerous providers for chemo, radiation, oncologists, pre-chemo testing, etc., etc. were astronomical. All I could do was lay it at the foot of the cross and ask Jesus to take care of it. I prayed daily for God to guide me in ways to work with the hospitals and doctor’s offices to lower my bills to a manageable amount. He did. He kept opening doors for me to do that. Praise God.

A medical bill from one provider alone amounted to almost $290,000.00. However, I recently received a miraculous call from that provider. They told me because I had reported the insurance company to the Department of Health for the poor way they handled my claims and denied coverage for my cancer treatments, they have written off the bill. Jesus gave me more than I asked for. Praise His name!

There are other medical bills I’m still responsible for. With Jesus’ help, I have faith that He will make them more manageable for me.

True Colors of Faith

I am better now at waiting on Him to work in His time and not mine. Yes, I agree…it is difficult. We want all the answers now, today, this moment.

But, please just give it to Jesus. Lay whatever it is at the foot of the cross. We serve an awesome God. I have grown from this experience and my relationship with Jesus is better than it was before. My faith is stronger. My walk is closer. My love for Him is greater. 

“The devil sometimes goes too far. He drives us straight into the Lord’s arms.” Ruth Bell Graham

“Count it all joy my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 (ESV)

James says that in tough times, our faith is forced into the open and shows its true colors. That’s kind of overwhelming isn’t it? No matter what you claim to believe or what others think you believe, there’s no hiding or pretending when the bottom falls out.

“Lord, what do You want me to do with this?”

The answer to that question I feel is that He wants me to witness and testify about what He’s done for me through this trying time. He wants me to be able to help someone else by saying, “I know what you’re going through. I know how you’re feeling. I know Jesus can help you. Lay it down at the foot of the cross.”

Tough times give us a realization of any short-comings of our faith. We can be grateful that tough times shows us where we need to change and grow.

I pray all who read this knows Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Thank you Jesus for Your love, Your grace, and Your ultimate sacrifice for all of us. Amen

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

God bless