About 9 years ago I remember going to a routine screening appointment at my opticians in Cambridge and leaving in tears. They had spotted some changes to my eye that required referral to the hospital. It was something that had happened to my dad so I knew this was not good!
Since then it's been a continual prayer point for me and my family. From the eventual laser treatment to burn the back of my eye and stop the retina detaching, to eye injections to remove the (healing) fluid after the laser, and a vitrectomy to replace the jelly in the eye to try stop bleeding and the risk of retina detaching.
Then some stability; then my other eye needed treatment. Following this I needed to pass a specialised test to continue driving. Then came a fight for acknowledgement and treatment for the cataract which inevitably came as promised post-surgery. They said they'd only think about it after 5 years...
So, it's been a lot. And there’s been a lot of answered prayer along that journey!
This January I managed to 'somehow' switch clinics to a different site and before I knew it, the new consultant looked at my eye, said "Yeah, I see it, when do you want surgery?" God had provided the second opinion I'd been fighting for, from a surgeon that had just changed clinics and so could offer surgery within weeks — not the months or years that is the norm. Praise God!
After the eyepatch came off, the hoped for clear vision didn't materialise. I was disappointed, but I had nothing to lose, so I couldn't complain. So when the post-op appointment came round, after reading up on everything, I had concluded either the surgery hadn't worked, or it was the back of my eye causing the blurred vision. I still prayed for more.
I explained this to the consultant, and they then told me that the surgery had worked. It wasn't that causing my issue. I was gutted, but accepting as the doc had a look… "So, there's a film there, and it's readily treatable"!
I couldn't believe it! I was overcome with HOPE. I didn't need anything more than that because God had given me such a revelation through this tangible hope of the HOPE we have in Jesus. I was in tears again, this time for joy!
So, I had the procedure, and for the first time in 9 years my vision improved! God is faithful, God is good. What a real hope we have in Jesus, no matter what we face in this life!
Andy Young
Re:Hope Southside
Is there an area of your life that needs an injection of ‘tangible hope’? Pick your one main prayer request for these 40 days and write it down on your prayer card. May your hope rise as you seek God in this special season of prayer!
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