Walking with the Lord through sickness: Fear not I am with you

by Shelagh Gray - 01 July 2020

There is a verse in the Bible which talks about God helping us. It is Isaiah 41:10.

Fear not I am with you. Be not dismayed. I will help you. I experienced God’s help recently.

It was about two years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and received treatment for this. Earlier this year I realised that the cancer was progressing again. However, in visits to the Dr the progress seemed to have slowed and remained stable. I also felt well. So I asked to wait awhile before receiving any more treatment.

Due to the covid virus I heard that appointments and some treatments were delayed. It was sometime before my scheduled scan appointment came through. It eventually arrived and I went across to Clatterbridge Hospital to have it. Usually the results are given about two weeks later by the consultants team. However, I received a telephone call two days later!! This was in itself a surprise and a shock. It is unusual to get such a quick response. I was asked to go to the hospital the next morning for some blood tests as something could be seriously wrong with my kidneys. It was a Saturday. Another unusual thing. The Drs. were very good, not wanting to alarm but I didn’t know how to react. They wouldn’t have contacted me if nothing was wrong.

I was taught as a child that God existed but it was when I went to train as a teacher that I met others who knew God as a loving Father. That He cared about the human race. He cared for me. So I knew I could turn to God with this situation which was too much for me to cope with on my own. I cried out as I had no resources in myself. I cried out for help. Almost immediately that help came. How? .....

A verse in the Bible came to my attention. It was that God was with me. He knew of the situation. He would take care of everything. Fear disappeared. I knew I could trust this loving caring Heavenly Father. He would help me. I felt strengthened and at peace.

At the hospital the next day tests were done and I was sent home, so that if the results showed I must go to hospital immediately I would be on the ‘right’ side of the river and in hospital near home. It was a long couple of hours but somehow I felt all would be well.

The phone call came about 12:30 pm. The results showed that my kidneys were working as they should. God had been faithful to me. He had helped me.

If we call out for help and really mean it, God answers. Sometimes quickly as in this case, sometimes we have to wait a while, but the answer always comes. Sometimes He helps us cope with a situation, sometimes He takes the situation away. But He always answers when we call out for help.