The beginning of 2023 did not bring the spontaneous solo travels and ambitious career promotion that I had optimistically aimed for. Instead, I found myself in a dark, consultancy room with two stoic-looking senior doctors telling me that my MRI scan indicated that I had meningitis.
I started my admission into hospital feeling optimistic and full of trust in God. But as the days passed, I found that I wasn't being healed as quickly as I hoped for and instead, my health was actually getting worse.
Over the next few weeks, I was subjected to intense and invasive procedures: the types that I used to silently pray to God I would never be subjected to. I was so heartbroken and confused as to why God was letting me go through so much physical and mental torment; watching other, older patients be dismissed back to their cottages in the countryside and wasting my hours scrolling through my friend’s fun, active lives on social media.
At one point, I just stopped talking to God all together. I didn’t even know what I wanted to say to Him anymore other than, ‘Why God? Why me?’
During all of this, I experienced such an outpour of support from people online and in-person. So many people reached out to me over socials with kind messages; I had countless FaceTimes with old friends and relatives abroad wanting to keep me company and I even had my cousins drive all the way from Airdrie (Scotland!) to Bournemouth just to catch a glimpse of me during the 6pm-8pm visitor slot!
And the common denominator was always that people were praying for me: all the time! I just couldn’t escape God, or even the mention of Him, no matter how hard I tried! The generosity and love entrenched in people’s actions and prayers was so overwhelming and undeserved. I honestly didn’t understand it. It so closely resembled the kind of love I knew I had experienced before: Jesus’ love. Extravagant, abundant, selfless.
Fast forward to today and I’m healed! And so much mentally and physically better than I was even before I got ill. Looking back, only now can I clearly see and appreciate the power of intercessory prayer during that time. People praying on my behalf when I didn’t have the strength to do so myself. People reminding me of God’s love through their actions and their words. People drawing me back to the Father one prayer at a time.
Rita Mataruka
Re:Hope Southside
If you’ve ever struggled to keep praying when the answer seems to be slow coming, (or you’re struggling today) — share your prayer request with a friend. Share with your BRT. Ask a couple of trusted people to pray with you and for you.