Several weeks ago, my husband, Joe, began having severe pain in his neck. It got so bad that it gave him pounding headaches, and made his blood pressure rise alarmingly. When he went to see his doctor, a large growth was discovered in his neck. Two more doctors confirmed the presence of the growth through various medical tests. All of the doctors suspected cancer, and a specialist told Joe that his chances of having it were 90%. A biopsy was ordered, but could not be performed for at least three weeks. Joe and I both dreaded having to wait that long to get the proper diagnosis and treatment. My husband was suffering terribly, and it grieved me to see him in so much pain. Because of that, I made a decision. I decided that I was not going to wait on doctors to heal my husband. I was going to wait on God.

I began praying for Joe's healing like never before. I started tucking him in bed at night, and praying aloud over him, asking the Lord to heal him before his test date even arrived. I reminded God over and over that we were not waiting on doctors for Joe's healing, but we were waiting on Him. At one point, Joe told me, "One thing is for certain--I'm not getting out of this without surgery." He had heard the doctors' reports about the growth in his neck. Three different doctors had felt it, and it was confirmed by ultrasound tests. I knew I couldn't afford to have the same mindset that Joe had. God was challenging me to believe Him for greater things. And it was God's Word and promises that bolstered my faith. David wrote: "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." (Psalm 20:7 NIV) The Holy Spirit brought this verse to my remembrance, and urged me not to put my confidence in doctors, but in God. The Lord could certainly use doctors as part of my husband's healing process, but I was not to put my faith in them, or to wait on them for help. As I prayed for Joe as though God was our only hope, we began to see some real improvements in his symptoms. The pain lessened. The swelling went down. Joe was no longer incapacitated, but was able to function normally. And we began to thank and praise God that His healing power was already at work in my husband's body.

Psalm 60:11-12 (NIV) says: "Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and He will trample down our enemies." These words of David's kept coming to mind during this time, and I began praying them in faith whenever I was tempted to doubt. I confess there were times when I'd hear the doctors' negative reports in my ears, and fear would start to rise in my heart. Then I would remind myself that Scripture instructs us to think only on "whatever things are of good report," and I would "cast down" those thoughts that did not agree with God's Word. (Philippians 4:8; 2 Corinthians 10:5 KJV) A good doctor can be a Godsend. And the Lord can, and often does, use doctors to heal us. But if we wait solely upon the medical profession for help, we could be waiting a very long time, often with very disappointing results to show for it. While the "help of man" can truly prove "worthless" at times, the help of God never will.

When the day finally came for Joe's biopsy, no growth could be found in his neck. The same type of medical tests that confirmed the growth's existence, confirmed its absence. And all final reports showed absolutely no cancer. The doctors can explain it any way they want to, but my family and I know that it was the hand of God that healed my husband, and we are giving Him all the glory. We have learned firsthand the truth of His Word--"It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in people." (Psalm 118:8 NLT)

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times I misplaced my confidence, instead of keeping it in You. Give me a revelation of Your matchless power and love that will move me to trust in You alone from now on. Thank You that as I depend on You for all my needs, I will experience Your supernatural protection and provision!