God says, “I am the Lord who heals you.”

The final words of Exodus 15:26 remind us of a truth about God's nature, that He is our healer. Jehovah Rapha.

Context matters when reading Scripture, but the truth of who God is remains unchanged. He is the God who heals, restores, and makes whole.

A few days ago, I had surgery, and I'm still in the process of healing. Some moments have been filled with excruciating pain, while others, numbness and the fogginess that comes with medication. And in the midst of it all, I've had several moments when I've complained. (would be crazy to say it’s been a piece of cake lol)

I convinced myself that I had every right to complain because I was in agony. But then the Holy Spirit reminded me of what Scripture says:

“Do all things without complaining and disputing.” — Philippians 2:14

This of course convicted me and reminded me that The same mouth that had prayed for months and months for healing was now the same mouth complaining about the pain that came with the very thing I had prayed for.

The surgery was part of the answer to my prayer, yet I had become so focused on the discomfort of the process that I was overlooking the blessing within it. I had to take a moment and turn my complaining into praise. Because the same God who heard my cries had answered my prayers.

And I'm learning that our answered prayers don't always look the way we imagined they would. There were nights during healing when I cried out, "Please heal me, Lord. Make Your strength perfect in my weakness."

Even in those moments of pain I continued to ask Him for healing because I knew He was able. One thing that never left me was my faith. So much of my walk with God has involved healing of the mind, the heart, and the soul. But healing of the physical body? That has been a different experience for me.

And strangely enough, I've found that I feel closer to Jesus when I'm weak.

Scripture tells us that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Therefore, when I am weak, I am strong, not because of anything within myself, but because of Jesus! What a powerful truth to be anchored in.

I don't believe we should dismiss our pain or convince ourselves not to feel it simply because someone else may have it worse. Pain is real, and suffering is not something we have to pretend doesn't exist.

But there are moments when I remind myself, "Aria, this is nothing compared to the persecution you may one day face for Christ." (whew.)

And somehow, that thought gives me strength. It shifts my perspective and opens the eyes of my understanding. To experience Christ as the healer of the mind, body, and soul has given me a deeper revelation of who He is and what His Word means.

During this season of healing and quietness, I've found myself asking God one question repeatedly: "Lord, what do You want me to learn through this?"

I haven't received the full answer yet. But one thing I have noticed is that my heart has grown in compassion for those who are bedridden, those battling sickness, and those whose physical conditions have limited their ability to live as they once did.

There is a different level of understanding that comes when you experience even a small portion of what someone else may be enduring every day.

(As I write this..maybe that is one of the things God is teaching me)

Through all of this, I have to keep reminding myself that I prayed for healing. And sometimes, when we pray for restoration, deliverance, and freedom, the answer comes through a process that is painful before it is peaceful.

Sometimes healing requires discomfort.Sometimes restoration requires endurance. And sometimes the very thing God uses to bring us into freedom is the thing that first requires us to walk through pain.

We see this throughout Scripture. God's promises are sure, but the journey toward them doesn't always come without hardship. This is something I stress when ministering to someone else, or sharing my testimonies.

And while I don't believe every painful experience is sent by God, I do believe He is able to work through our pain, strengthen us in our weakness, and reveal more of Himself to us in the process.

What continues to keep me anchored is knowing that I serve a God who hears me.A God who answers prayers.A God who meets me in my weakness and becomes my strength when I have none left of my own.

I'm still healing. I'm still learning. And I'm still waiting to understand everything God may be teaching me through this season.

But one thing I know is that the same God who heard my prayers before the surgery is the same God who is with me in the healing afterward.

He was my healer when I cried out for healing, and He is still my healer as I walk through the process.

And I look forward to the day when I am completely healed, with yet another testimony to share of the goodness and faithfulness of God.

That He hears. That He answers. That He restores.

And that He is, and always will be, Jehovah Rapha. The Lord who heals.

Amen!