“It’s most likely a melanoma. Melanomas in the mouth are aggressive,” she explained matter-of-factly.
I couldn’t think of a worse diagnosis than that. How did I get dropped into this nightmare?
It began on a Monday morning. I picked up our Maltese and noticed blood staining the snow-white fur around his mouth. Then I saw it. I was staring at a bloody mass hanging out the left side of his mouth by a thread of soft tissue.
This tumor had been steadily enlarging inside his mouth along the rear gum line for more than a year, but another vet in the practice hadn’t been concerned at all.
Periodically I had prayed this prayer: “Lord, let it just dry up and fall out of his mouth.” What I was looking at was not exactly the answer to my prayers.
Lord, I wanted it to fall out of his mouth and be gone, not stay attached. That’s not what I meant.
Surely God knew the meaning of my prayers. Why was I trying to clarify it to Him now? It was too late to edit those previous pleas.
The odds were against me. It was almost noon. No way would there be an opening to have him treated that day.
Lord, I need a miracle. All the weekend emergencies will have called the vet first thing this morning and filled the spots held in reserve for urgent cases. I need an appointment this afternoon.
I called anyway and sent a photo to clarify the situation.
“We have a cancellation at 1:15 today. Would you be able to bring him in?”
I was stunned. Really? That fast? God’s fingerprint was evident. Is anything too hard for Him?
Next prayer: Lord, please let them remove the tumor today, and please don’t let him have to stay overnight.
Little BJ has separation anxiety and staying at the vet’s would be a nightmare for him.
At first glance the vet seemed unsure of the diagnosis. After consulting with her more seasoned colleague, she came back with the most likely diagnosis—an aggressive, deadly cancer.
My heart sank as she calmly rattled off possible next steps: x-rays, radiation, chemotherapy and possibly removing his lower jaw. Then she added, “I’ll remove the tumor after I see my last patient. You can pick him up before closing time.”
Second fingerprint.
Third prayer: Lord, let this be benign! No further treatment.
I continued to bombard heaven day after day while waiting for the pathology report. One week later the diagnosis was in—BENIGN!
Third fingerprint. Praise God!
After the vet explained the diagnosis, I shared with her what I had been praying over the last year or so: “I prayed that God would cause the tumor to fall out of his mouth, but I meant for it to completely separate, not stay attached.”
She laughed. “You should have been more detailed.”
Are all my prayers answered this quickly? No, some prayers have taken decades before being answered. I’m still waiting on many.
A few days ago, I was wondering why one of my prayers was taking so long to be answered. I felt led to read Luke 18. The first verse spoke volumes to me:
“Then He (Jesus) spoke a parable to them that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.”
It is the encouragement I need right now to keep persevering in prayer. I love quick answers to prayer, but many take weeks, months, even years.
Have you given up praying for something? It’s not too late for your answer. When the chances are zero, pray anyway. In the face of impossible odds, He’s the way maker.
No one likes to wait, but waiting builds our faith and dependence on God. In the face of what seems like impossible odds, don’t give up. Don’t quit.
I am reminded of Daniel 10:12-13. The angel told Daniel that his prayer was heard the very first day that he prayed, but the answer was delayed because of spiritual warfare blocking its release.
When I get discouraged sometimes I remind myself of Revelation 5:8 which says our prayers are like incense filling golden bowls in heaven. One day when our children were young, I smelled something sweet around the table where we sometimes prayed. I asked the Lord what it was, and He answered, “It’s the fragrance of your prayers.”
Don’t lose heart. Fill the bowls in heaven. When the time is right, the answer will be poured out.
God hears every prayer and every cry of your heart. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray without ceasing.” That doesn’t mean 24 hours a day. It means persevere.
James 5:16b encourages us: “The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]” (Amplified).
Be encouraged. Your prayers are releasing power from heaven, and God is well pleased with their fragrance.
Just because you haven’t yet seen His fingerprints on your problem, His hand is still on your life.
We can’t let what seems impossible to our human logic and reasoning block us from seeking His intervention and wisdom. Getting an appointment looked absolutely impossible in my mind, but it was easy for God. He can open doors no man can open, give us favor when we need it and bring us opportunities that seem far out of reach.
“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Matthew 19:26
How do you encourage yourself to keep praying when your situation seems impossible?
We keep on standing knocking until it comes, because just like you said , it’s the waiting , but we must persevere until it comes amen 🙏 🙌
This is what I needed this morning, as I just talked to the Orthopedic doctors office to schedule an appointment about knee replacement. I have had one, and it was awful! So, I turn my eyes toward JESUS, and ask for strength. I am 85, and need a lot of help. This devotional was a big relief.