This week I have been reflecting on a miracle and restoration that God did within my life fifteen years ago.
And how I do not take for granted each day that I have with the gift of hearing. Let me back up and explain what I mean so that you get the full picture.
See when I was four years old, I was diagnosed with a 48% conductive hearing loss in my left ear which means that I was born with it. And no one found it until I was four.
So then from the age of four to fifteen, I had to go get hearing tests, get sized for hearing aids, and see the ENT doctor who is quite amazing. I did not mind doing these things or going to the doctor.
However, I did not always like wearing the hearing aid because sometimes it was uncomfortable or there were times I just wanted to be a regular kid and not worry about being made fun of for having it or worry about it get ruined or damaged by accident.
There was this fear in the back of my mind that other kids would think less of me because of it or that I was weird. Isn't that a ridiculous thought to let fear cripple me like that?
But that is what fear, doubt, anxiety, unbelief do they cripple us into believing the wrong things instead of dwelling in the truth of God's word.
Although I did have a time of waiting from the age of four to fifteen before the hearing loss was restored and fixed. God knew that I needed a time of preparation to be ready for the restoration.
Because not just by body needed to be grown, but also by heart, my mind needed to be ready to receive the restoration and miracle God was going to perform.
The restoration and miracle that I am referring to is the surgery that I had fifteen years ago in April of 2005 when I was fifteen years old the ENT doctor went in to correct the conductive hearing loss in my left ear. The thing was the risk of the surgery was a 50/50% chance that it would either work or that it would be a failure.
Although there was only a 50/50% chance I was confident that it would work and I had peace in saying yes to the surgery. I remember the day that I went to see the ENT doctor with my mom like we did every year in the past.
Yet, both my mom and I had no hesitation in saying yes to do the surgery in the doctor's office that day.
Also, I remember in prepping for it I had no fear whatsoever. Now that was God's peace surrounding me by helping me to rest in the presence of God. Because in His presence we find rest and peace.
Moreover, I remember the day of the surgery waiting in the waiting room of the hospital to go back for surgery my mom and I went into the bathroom to pray before I had to go back because the waiting room was so loud and full of people I wanted a quiet place to pray before the surgery.
Looking back on that day I can reflect on that early morning how the rushing peace of God just flooded my heart.
Thus, I had no fear or doubt that day. Because I knew that God was with me but also within me through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, the funny thing was waking up from surgery I remember asking the nurse who was sitting next to my bed waiting for me to wake up to turn down the volume. She just looked at me and laughed. I was too sleepy to laugh or realize what was happening just then.
Drum roll, please….The surgery worked it was a miracle and all the credit goes to God because He answered my prayers for wanting to be able to hear.
God not only restored my hearing by the work of the wonderful and amazing ENT doctor that I have but He also restored my heart to believe in the impossible. The glory of God was revealed that day even if some did not realize it yet.
That day God revealed to me that having ridiculous faith in Him brings the impossible to possible. God is able to do all things and can do anything.
We just have to be willing to believe in it even if we look ridiculous. But also, God showed me that resting in His restoration means trusting Him to bring it around to completion.
Ridiculous faith in God works and it can be our testimony if we are willing to risk looking foolish to others. Ridiculous faith is choosing faith over the circumstances or the facts that are laid out before us because God is greater than all of it.
Moreover, ridiculous faith also is about being willing to follow God's lead by being willing to follow His direction and submit to His authority.
If you have not figured out there is two themes here within this post. The first is ridiculous faith in God reveals the impossible is possible with God.
The second is, waiting is a time of preparation and a time of building the courage to stand and fight in the ridiculous faith by being willing to look ridiculous.
However, the funny thing is most of my life has been surrounded by times of waiting and preparation for choosing faith over circumstances or facts.
The period of times of waiting has revealed that God is a good Father who loves me unconditionally. Just like He loves everyone including you who may doubt it.
The one who thinks you have done too much in the past to disappoint God or that He may be angry with you. Or if you are the one who believes it's too late for God to move within your life, let me remind you it's not too late for God to do the impossible. God is for you not against you!
Here's the thing, Ridiculous faith also involves resting in God's presence and peace which also means resting in the belief of God's restoration.
God does not do anything halfway but fulfills it to completion. Whatever, God says or speaks over us does not come back empty but is fulfilled in His timing.
This means things can change instantly if that is His plan or it can take time. In the waiting process of waiting for things to change we do have to allow what God wants to do within us.
Rest and believe in the restoration and the mighty hand of God. God flips the impossible and makes it possible!
"So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."(Isaiah55:11ESV).
References:
English Standard Version Study Bible (2008) Crossway Publishing, Wheaton ILL,
Picture by: wix.com