The greatest thing that I have learned in The Way Ministry is the knowledge and understanding that God loves me. From my first days with this ministry until now, I have known God as a loving Father, and I am helped daily because I trust in Him and His Word. This has given me a firm foundation to stand upon.
Prior to my involvement with this ministry, I wasn’t sure what God thought about me. I didn’t know if I was good enough for Him to love. I believed that God’s love was available to those who lived a good life, a life without sin, and that His love and concern for me was passive, available only if the situation or need was important enough. I would barter with God for His help and His love. If He helped me I would promise to go to church more. I would keep my promise for a while, but something would happen and I would break my promise, losing God’s love, I thought.
But then someone taught me what God’s Word says about the love of God. I learned that God has an active love and concern for my life. Shortly after taking the Foundational Class, I became ill from a reoccurring stomach virus. My friend who had gotten me into the Word said, “You can believe for God to heal you.” I said, “I don’t need to do that. This will be gone in a week. Besides, I will lose a little weight.”
She tried to encourage me to believe for God’s healing, but I thought, why bother God with this? It is not life threatening. With medication I will only be sick for about a week. I will not be able to eat without discomfort, but I will lose a few extra pounds. Why should I involve God?
A couple of nights later, I went out to have ice cream with some friends, thinking I should be able to tolerate ice cream. I ordered a banana split. It looked delicious, but one spoonful and it was too painful to finish. I was sad, but what surprised me was that I knew that God was hurt for me. He was not happy that I was not able to enjoy my ice cream. God loved me and was that concerned for me. Since God cared so much for me, I knew I should believe to be healed.
I was so excited to believe God. I was thrilled to be doing something with God. I prayed and thanked God for His love and concern. Then I wrote down verses that I thought would help me to claim my deliverance:
I Peter 2:24:
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
III John 2:
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Ephesians 3:20:
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
I John 3:2:
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
II Timothy 1:7:
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
I wrote down the definition for fear that a believer had taught me: FEAR—false evidence appearing real.
The next day, I went to the student union, bought a hot fudge sundae with nuts, and sat down. I prayed and thanked God for healing me. I read the verses I had written down and ate a spoonful of ice cream. Pain. I said, “False evidence appearing real. By his stripes I have already been healed.” I ate another spoonful. Pain. I read through all the verses again. Then… “One more spoonful and I’m finished. This is the best hot fudge sundae that I have ever had!” As I thought about how good that ice cream was, I began to realize that there was no more pain. I don’t know when it stopped, but it was gone for good.
God loved me and was concerned for me. He cared about this small part of my life. I knew that He meant what He said, that His Word could be trusted. Over the years I have sought God’s help in situations big and small. As I have grown in my knowledge of God’s Word, I have learned to believe God more. But I always come back to God’s love and concern for me. It is real and never ending. God always has time for me. I don’t have to be perfect for Him to love me. This knowledge has given me a firm foundation to stand on for over forty years.