Day 624 - March 1 - Going to Meet Him
I got asked a question this morning that I don't really have an answer for. I thought I'd drop it up to y'all and see what you think. The question was basically "If you really believe that God is going to heal Connor, why aren't you flying across the globe to pursue his cure/healing?"
This was asked to me privately, but it seems to me that this is a good topic for open discussion, so I'm bringing it to the blog. I'm hoping y'all can help provide some insight into this.
How can you provide insight into my/our thought processes? Well, I don't know - but I'm willing to give you a chance!
Here goes - back in the Bible days, there were three kinds of people who looked to Jesus for healing. There were the folks who Jesus just happened upon, like the lame guy at the Pool of Bethesda, and the servant of the high priest at Jesus' betrayal. Then there were the people who came for healing to Jesus on someone else's behalf, like the Centurion, or the friends of the guy they lowered through the roof. And finally, there are the people who came to Him on their own behalf, like nearly everybody else. At one time or another, we've been all three of those people in this journey - we petition God every day for his healing, in prayer if nothing else. But should we be doing something more?
Well, that's a good question. But, what? What should we be doing? Should we fly to India for stem cell treatments? Should we be picking up the household and moving somewhere that might help us with physical therapy? Should we chase faith healers around the countryside, hoping for God's handout? Should I bankrupt my family pursuing all of the dubious claims of medical psuedo-science in the hope that something is going to pay off? Where do I go?
I'll tell you this - my faith is not in any of those things. My faith for Connor's healing lies squarely in the hands of the Almighty God, not in any man or woman, any preacher, or priest, or doctor, or medicine, or treatment, or equipment - my God will heal my son. He will have the glory.
Can't He use medicine or something to heal the boy? Sure He can. But - the trick is to know what it is that God wants to use, and right now I've got no clue. In my prayers for the last 20+ months regarding Connor's healing, I've clearly heard from God one - one - time. As I've asked and pleaded and wrestled for Connor's sake, only once have I sensed any sort of answer to my plea that God heal my son. Do you know what that answer was? "Wait". One word. "Wait".
So that's what we're doing, or at least trying to do. Maybe one of these days we'll get a sense that we're supposed to pursue a particular direction, and we'll do that. Maybe God wants us to wait because next year there's going to be a miracle cure come out on the market. Maybe He wants us to wait because there's a person He's going to use for Connor's healing who isn't in place yet. Maybe He wants us to wait because His audience isn't complete for His miraculous healing. I don't know, all I know is that I'm waiting, and praying, and trusting, and trying to survive through this another day.
In the meantime, pray that we'll be ready to act if He needs us to. And keep watching - God isn't done with this yet!
Eric
PS - So that's kind of my answer to the original question. What do you think? Do you have a sense from your prayer life that we should be going in one direction or another? Your insight is appreciated...
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posted by Eric Williamson @ 6:22 AM
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13 Comments:
If Jesus Himself used spit and mud to heal a blind man, how can we be contemptuous of ordinary means to heal?
My doctor friend tells me he puts the parts together, but God must do the healing. God sends the rain, but we have to plow the field.
Christians after all are the founders of the university system and the hospital system. It is not our legacy to sneer at natural means.
Having said that, people can suggest, encourage, exhort, but in the end, you must follow your own conscience...and Connor's!
Ask Connor. It's his life we are discussing. I think he knows "the answer."
Yes, I know, Connor, does know the answer. The answer is, "God." God will heal Connor, when He see's fit. In the meantime, they "wait on the Lord."
We/they pray, grow closer to Him while they're waiting, and if God wants them doing anything else, I know He will make that very clear to them, as I know they are very close and clinging to the Lord through all this.
We're praying for Connor and all the family during this time.
In Him!
Kim
I think that God is not One to lead us on goose chases. In Colossians 2:3, it says that in God all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. Whether you seek assurance of faith, understanding, truth, financial wisdom, whatever- God is the source. Like you said, God is the answer. He will provide in His way. Nothing is outside of God's plan... if He wills to bring people together, like a special PT, doctor, whomever, He will make that connection happen. Waiting is not easy, but you're right to want to wait for God to make the first move and not jump the gun searching for cures. Keep it up. We are with you, keep tossing out your thoughts, this is a great place to seek God and His ways together. Love you Williamsons!
Difficult questions, difficult answers. Our friend with a C5 injury and his family, friends, community have asked some of these for over 5 years. Hundreds maybe thousands have prayed for our friend and still no clear answer.
I am praying and financially support a medical "cure" or restoration for him, for Connor, for all those with a SCI. There are researchers who are devoting their life work to find a cure. I pray for them and their work.
That said, I do believe that God could touch Connor or our friend and they would be cured. In the meantime, my prayers and dollars go towards research.
While I pray for Connor I have no insight to share, except to let you know that you are not alone in this journey.
Blessings,
Louise
I agree with what everyone has said so far(I like the verse you used sis!)
Yes, the ultimate Healer is God, He decides when and where. We pray and hope that God will heal Connor soon, but we wait on Him as our strength.
If God uses doctors or PTs to bring Himself and His Son glory, that is who He will use, but to specifically go after the medicines and healing techniques of this world is not going to solve anything unless God sets it in motion.
So in the end it's about faith and this journey growing our faith more and more each day we pray, so trust in God and His timing!
God's grace and strength to you all.
Valerie
I agree with what everyone has said so far(I like the verse you used sis!)
Yes, the ultimate Healer is God, He decides when and where. We pray and hope that God will heal Connor soon, but we wait on Him as our strength.
If God uses doctors or PTs to bring Himself and His Son glory, that is who He will use, but to specifically go after the medicines and healing techniques of this world is not going to solve anything unless God sets it in motion.
So in the end it's about faith and this journey growing our faith more and more each day we pray, so trust in God and His timing!
God's grace and strength to you all.
Valerie
may this be an encouraging word in season:
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2273_staying_faithful_when_things_get_worse/
Dear friends--
That is a good question! but I think that you also have gotten some awesome (and honest) answers. It really is all in God's timing and whom He will use to accomplish His purposes.
I think that you already have some wonderful people on your "team" working for Connor's well-being and I believe that if God has someone else out there, He will provide. That doesn't mean that you don't follow up on reasonable suggestions, etc. but neither does it mean flying everywhere hoping that THIS will be the doctor, etc.
Love and prayers,
There is a place in Portugal that has had amazing results treating SCI with the patient's own stem cells. There are two centers in the U.S. that do the after care and rehab for Americans who get treated in Portugal.
In mainstream Christianity, we exhaust every avenue to fight for life. We don't sit back with pious pretentions and let someone die. We pull off the roof of the house to bring the paralytic for healing.
Connor and all SCI patients will eventually die from complications of immobility. That's the hard truth.
If the family is absolutely restricted from pursuing a cure for financial or other grave reasons, God knows and understands. But if failure to seek treatment is just for reasons of "faith," then this is an EVIL heresy of spiritual pride and abuse beyond anything I've ever witnessed in my entire life.
"Evil heresy of spiritual pride" is a pretty severe judgment. Perhaps you could expand on what you mean by failure to seek treatment. Sell your house and car, quit your job? At what point does exhausting your resources became "just for reasons of faith". Perhaps sharing some examples from your own situation dealing with SCI would help clarify.
All I can say, is, WOW!!!
Praying for you Williamsons!!! Love you all!!
Kim
Dear Anonymous @ 9:47 & All Others Reading Along,
I'm curious as to what your definition of, "failure to seek treatment" is.
It is my understanding that this family has "actively sought treatment" throughout this whole journey. In fact, they are even actively "administering" treatment themselves (sometimes at 3:00 am instead of sleeping). Thereby, exhausting EVERY resource to fight for life, including their own life-sustaining energy.
I'm wondering if perhaps you've confused "seeking treatment" with "seeking a cure". Two similar, yet different things.
From Webster's Dictionary: Treatment = the techniques or actions customarily applied in a specified situation.
Cure = a complete or permanent solution.
At this point in time, there is NO known sure-fire "cure" for SCI. If there were, I'm sure the Williamsons along with a whole bunch of other SCI people would be in line, regardless of where in the world this cure was administered. I'm sure they'd even be lowering the paralytics down through the roof on mats (if that's what it took to get it).
But alas, there is no such known "cure", only occasional promising possibilities. Which leaves the Williamsons and all SCI families in the no man's land of deciding "which" avenues to explore for a cure (while continuing to administer life-giving treatment).
For the SCI families who've put their hope in the Lord, they at least have the certainty that the "cure" will come through Him. Whether God uses a certain "treatment" or just tells Connor to "pick up his mat and walk" one day is ENTIRELY up to the Lord.
I've had some experience in this "no man's land" that I speak of. I've made many "life and death" decisions for my severely disabled and medically challenged daughter. And my only hope was that I could turn to the Lord and ask Him for guidance. There were some surgeries that I agreed to that I sometimes wonder if that was the right decision and there are other surgeries that logically speaking, if we did earlier would have proven beneficial. However, at the time the decision was presented, the Lord did not give me peace about moving forward with it. So even though I could logically "beat myself up" about my decision to NOT have the surgery at the time, I choose to "trust" that the Lord didn't want her to have it at that time for some reason (that I won't know about, this side of heaven).
Bottom line of what I've learned in the "No-man's-land-of-making-life-and-death-decisions-for-a-loved-one (for which there is NO handbook): trust in the Lord is key and most of the time He gives you just enough light for the step you're on. And no matter how you slice it - HE is the CURE.
What is so hard to understand about the question/criticism being offered? Anonymous merely begged the question, in what camp do the Williamsons reside, faith healing or mainstream Christianity?
Without waiting for an answer, Anonymous delivered a severe judgment of faith healing, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING that the Williamsons COULD have valid reasons for NOT pursuing extensive treatment.
This is the part that everyone overlooks.... the post does NOT attack Eric and his decisions, but FAITH HEALING.
I'm surprised by Eric's defensiveness, his inference that the criticism was directed at HIM personally,(unless he really IS in the Christian Science/Jehovah Witness/Faith Healing Camp)!
Eric's defensiveness and direct references to writers here could be inferred as attacks on THEM, so it's no wonder people want to be anonymous. However, I'm thankful for Eric's detailed response because I myself have long been confused as to what is actually being done for Connor, what the family's beliefs are, and I am NOT new to this blog.
I don't know why it matters that posts are identified because many who find this web site are absolute strangers. The Williamsons would not know my name. Apparently the only reason to know names has been to use them to publicly address and embarrass people who express a provocative viewpoint.
Praying and waiting with all of you, I am,
1:24 a.m. PST Anonymous
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