The sick little girl in her mama’s arms

The little Honduran girl appeared lifeless in her mother’s arms. I had assumed she must be sleeping as her arms and legs dangled, but when her mom brought her daughter to us and turned her around, I could see the pallor of her skin and the glazed look in her eyes. Her lips were nearly void of all color.

As her mom attempted to arouse her, I could easily identify the fear and panic she was feeling.

When I saw the little girl’s eyes’ blink, I knew she was still alive, but it was obvious something was very wrong with her. I felt her forehead and expected her to be feverish, but she felt cool to the touch. Since the mom only spoke Spanish, I wasn’t able to understand her, but through an interpreter she said that her little girl had just went limp, and that she’d been fine until she received immunizations a few hours earlier.

We were in a very poor area of Honduras, and there was no option of calling for medical help or even rushing her to a hospital. I realized this little girl was deathly sick, so I impulsively laid my hands on her and began praying for God to do a miracle and to heal her— if it was His will to do so.

The mom began crying although I knew she couldn’t understand what I was praying. I only prayed a short and prayer, crying out to God, but what He did next was incredible.

Just after I said, “Amen” the young lady who was with me said, “Look at her lips!” The color had immediately started returning! We were then able to get her to sip some juice and she began perking up. About an hour later she was eating and playing a little with the other children. What an amazing miracle! That’s my Jesus!

Miracles are remarkable. They are faith strengtheners— and I love to see them! It was amazing to witness this healing right before my eyes. So why isn’t this miracle the most remarkable thing that I’ve ever experienced? I think many times, we look for these kinds of miracles…and we miss the bigger miracles that God is doing. They go by unnoticed. Or we focus on the work of the enemy rather than on the miracles of God. Let me explain.

We all love to hear the wonderful and miraculous stories that involve physical healing or beneficial gain. We are, by nature, “me-centered” so we gravitate towards wanting to see miracles of this essence.

But what about the even greater miracles of God? What about the miracle of the joy that God gives on a daily basis to the Christian woman who is living in extreme poverty and can barely feed her children— much less care for her handicapped daughter? Or how about the huge amount of grace that is needed for the dedicated woman of God who continues to love and care for her husband after years of him being unfaithful to her? What about the miracle of God filling her with agape love towards his children when she’s never been able to have her own?

Why don’t we recognize the significance of the miracles God has done in our lives? Especially the ones that involve suffering and pain! Rather than demanding God to answer our prayers for what makes us happy and comfortable, how about we focus on the greater miracles He gives? Such as enduring faith, the gift of hope, and His sustaining grace for each difficult moment we face.

My friend, I could share miracle after miracle of what God has personally done for me. But most of the remarkable and significant miracles involve pain, struggle, brokenness, and loss.

Photo Credit: Alisha Mullett

Yes, we’ve seen God sell our house literally a few hours after we prayed specifically for Him to sell it. And we had no prior prospects, we lived on a dead end road, and it was during a slumped economy! I’ve also experienced miraculous, physical healing and the incredible blessing of holding our two youngest in my arms after I was told by doctors that I’d never be able to conceive again.

But, again, the greatest miracles have been when God didn’t answer my prayers like I wanted Him to. His comforting presence was always there when I faced hundreds of times of seeing one of my dear children crying out because of another painful procedure or life-threatening circumstance. The incredible miracle of God’s grace carried me through those times when my daughter looked like a burn victim and through the three heart transplants and two aggressive cancers my children faced. In my darkest night, I experienced the GRACE and PRESENCE of Jesus and this is the greatest miracle of all!

What if the “greater miracles” that Jesus referred to are much more than things that involve our earthly happiness, monetary gain, physical healing, or the absence of relational conflict? Miracles are happening all around us. But we often miss them.

As we have been ministering in the prisons this past week, I wonder—could Jesus also be talking about the supernatural moment when God takes that inmate who’s been nothing but a menace to our society, and makes them into a new creature in Christ? When His love flows through them, their very nature is changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Singing at a men’s prison this past week in South Carolina. Photo Credit: Lonnie Raber

What is the miracle that God is wanting to do in your life? While you are praying for God to bring that healing or answer to prayer, how about you ask Him to do an even greater miracle within your heart? Because, as I see it, a miracle isn’t when we get our way, but it’s when we surrender to God’s way. 

~Cindy (For The Mullett Family)

“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.” 

― C.S. Lewis