By Bill Gaultiere © September 12, 2009
Heather was paralyzed for eight years after a car accident. But today she can walk with ease and dance with joy! Glory to God! Thanks and praise to Jesus Christ!
Heather is one of the readers of the Soul Shepherding Devotional and she wants to share her story of healing with you. Over the last seven years that I’ve been writing these devotionals I’ve received many testimonies from readers, who now number over 2,000. God has inspired them. Or they learned to pray in new and helpful ways. Or they used the devotional in their teaching for their small group or Sunday school class. But Heather’s story really stands out! She writes…
Heather’s Story
“Some time ago I found your devotionals by accident. I typed in “Christianity” and “soul” into Google and found you! I have become an avid reader. When I receive your message it is always at a time that I need to hear it. I guess God knows what we need! I have archived the devotionals, as I like to go back and read them from time to time. I am dearly hoping that one day I can come to Southern California to participate in one of your workshops.
“I especially love your poems to Jesus! I relate to them. Let me tell you why…
“I was in a car accident that left me paralyzed for eight years and I was inspired to write many poems to Jesus to get me through some very dark days. They proved to be a healing tool, as eight years later God enabled me to walk again without any aids! It was a true miracle given to me by Jesus.
“I would encourage everyone who is in some kind of crisis to write to Jesus in whatever form they choose: poetry, letters, journal entries. If we are persistent in prayer God will help us in the healing we need.”
Giving Thanks in All Circumstances
Heather learned to follow the Apostle Paul’s example and advice: “Give thanks in all circumstances” even being paralyzed! What? Who would thank God for paralysis? Or any other painful, debilitating problem? That’s not what God said. The Word says to “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Not for all circmstances!
Why? Why would we give thanks in the midst of suffering? The rest of the verse explains that we give thanks to be in Christ Jesus!
To appreciate that you are “in Christ” – lovingly embraced in the kingdom of God by Jesus now and forever – is so wonderful and glorious as to be a cause for giving thanks and rejoicing even in the midst of paralyzing pain or any other problem!
Watch and Pray
Test the truth of God’s Word. “Set your mind on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1). Practice submitting yourself to God’s Kingdom and appreciating Jesus’ warm embrace of love. Meditate Bible passages like Matthew 19:13-15 in which Jesus opens his arms to people like you. Imagine it. Pray it. Smile to God, “Thank you that I am in Christ.” Write a poem or a letter or draw a picture or do a dance step or sing a song of praise to the Lord about the blessings of knowing him and being loved by him!
Then when you find yourself in some difficulty or hardship you’ll be prepared to see beyond that troubling visible circumstance and into the invisible kingdom of the heavens with Christ standing right in front of you with his arms open to you.
More Soul Shepherding
It’s people like you who support the ministry of Soul Shepherding, which includes articles like this. Perhaps you would like to invest in the renewal of pastors, missionaries, leaders, and care-givers? Even small donations given with prayer in Jesus’ name add up to make Soul Shepherding’s ministry possible.Bill Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ SoulShepherding.org
