You've Never Failed Me Yet

I have always believed in God’s ability to do physical healing. I’m not really sure why I have had unshakeable faith in the face of difficult times, except to say that it has been a gift of faith. I would read accounts in the gospels of Jesus healing people, or the early Christian church after Pentecost, and I was confident that the same things are still possible today through the Holy Spirit.

As I grew older, I had a fascination with medicine, anatomy, and health in general. I liked to understand how our bodies work – or how they don’t. Whenever I had family members with health issues, I dove deep into understanding what exactly the issue meant. I’m not sure if it was a matter of control or just wanting to have a clear expectation, but I liked to be informed about why things were breaking down.

As life went on, I visited many people in hospitals, all over Athens even. It is a strange thing to become familiar with the waiting rooms, patient rooms, parking lots, and overall schedules of different hospitals.

In each of those hospital visits, I was aware that God is sovereign and in control. Yes, we trust in doctors and medicine and surgeries, but those things are only possible because the God of the Universe created them. He also created me and each of my family members, and He loves them even more than I ever could. He wants healing.

I learned to pray, not out of a place of begging God to heal my loved ones. Instead, I am asking Him to do something He already wants to do. He wants what is best for us, and He is working to the good of those who love Him. That doesn’t always mean physical healing, but sometimes it is – if that is what would be best.

In October of 2018, my faith in God as healer was put to the test. I got a call that my dad was being rushed to Athens by ambulance, and the EMTs thought he had suffered a stroke. My dad, at 52, was the picture of health and larger than life. Even the notion that he could be brought down by a simple blood clot was unfathomable.

But there we were. On October 18, 2018, we went to St. Mary’s hospital in Athens. I learned the parking spots, the waiting rooms, the entrances and exits. I learned how to get to the NeuroICU on the seventh floor. I learned where to get the free coffee that replaced regular sleep for weeks. And I learned how to pray.

The second night we were there, complications arose, and a second stroke caused the situation to become much more dire. Nurses, doctors, and staff would come pray with us as we watched my dad in probably the hardest 24 hours I’ve ever endured. I remember praying contending prayers, praying down on my knees, and crying out with every breath I breathed. The only thing that got me through those dark days, was the faith that God was good and that I could trust Him as a Healer – I knew whatever He did would be for our good.

During that season, the song ‘Do It Again’ became my anchor. The lines,

“Waiting for change to come
 Knowing the battle's won
 For You have never failed me yet
Your promise still stands
 Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
 I'm still in Your hands
 This is my confidence
 You've never failed me yet”

lived on repeat in my head. I held on to those promises – tightly. The past two and a half years have been a long and a HARD road. It often felt like things were getting worse before they were getting better – but they did begin getting better. And I can honestly say that God has never failed me yet.

In the midst of the hardest times, I would pray for small things: that an IV line would not be infected; that my dad would wake up and recognize us; that he would be able to swallow on his own. As those prayers were answered, I moved on to bigger and bigger things. Sometimes I took the time to remember the miracles that had already happened, but other times I was too caught up in the next prayer and the next thing I wanted to see healed.

After some time had passed, I was able to look back at some of the earliest prayers that I had prayed. I am always astounded by how faithfully and easily God answered each prayer I have prayed – from the littlest ones at the beginning, to the bigger prayers that came after. I have always been caught up with the new problems that I saw, and I hardly ever took the time to marvel over the way He has HEALED my dad in so many ways.

It is not always as quick as we want. It doesn’t necessarily make things perfect. There are always new problems that we are dealing with, but guess what? That just means I have a new miracle to pray for! And I am astounded by the fact that I have had the honor to witness the slow miracles.

In February of 2019, my dad came home for the first time in three months.

In July of 2019, my dad finished five weeks of intensive speech therapy, and saw some huge improvements in speech.

In October of 2019, we had a big setback, but God still worked as healer in the midst of it.

In May of 2020, he gained freedom from manic episodes that were caused by a medication.

In August of 2020, my dad said my name again for the first time since he had a stroke.

In February of 2021, my dad passed his driver’s test and was cleared to be back on the road!

In an appointment this week, the neurologist shared that he was incredibly impressed by my dad’s progress since 2018; however, he doesn’t think that my dad will improve anymore. I, however, refuse to believe that. Why? Because I know my God does physical healing.

I know the night won't last
 Your word will come to pass
 My heart will sing Your praise again

Jesus You're still enough
 Keep me within Your love, oh
 My heart will sing Your praise again
 
Your promise still stands
 Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness
 I'm still in Your hands
 This is my confidence
 You've never failed

Author | Mackenzie Wells