God Answers Prayer — and Sometimes in an Unexpected Way

Years ago, I fell down a flight of stairs — bumpety bump on my bottom — all the way down. I felt like a compressed-together accordion. I had a serious back injury and lived in pain, even after many medical treatments.

For years we prayed for my healing. We had weekly leadership meetings in our home, and they joined with us in praying for my healing. One night, a young couple, who were our church’s new youth pastors, expressed their need for a bed. Inconspicuously, my husband made his way to me and told me he felt impressed to give them our bed. I learned many times over, that my husband and God, frequently had these little “chats”, so no way could I offer an objection. The young couple was thrilled. But, now WE needed a bed.

The new craze, at that time, was waterbeds (pictured here), and our 13-year old son had one that he loved. My husband asked if he would let us sleep on the waterbed for a few nights to see if that’s what we wanted to buy for ourselves. We heard that at least two weeks were needed to get used to it. In that two weeks period, something amazing happened. The back pain that I suffered from for years, was gone. It was so impressive, that we purchased a waterbed for ourselves, and enjoyed it for years.

So, was it the waterbed that provided my healing, OR was it the obedience to God’s nudge, to give to someone in need? I think it’s the same response from the blind man that was healed by Jesus: “All I know is once I was blind, but now I see!” And my response is, “Once I had severe back pain, but now I have none.” Yes, God answers prayers, and sometimes He says: “1) Yes; 2) Not yet; 3) I have something better in mind. I think my answer was #3 — He had something better in mind……so much so, that I’m continuing to tell others that God answers prayer. I encourage you: Don’t limit God — for NOTHING is impossible with Him. If not a “Yes”, right now…..hang on….He probably has something so much better in mind! And in the meantime, LISTEN, He just may have an unconventional way of bringing about your answer, like He did mine!