How Acts 3 Gives us Hope

Have you ever experienced something challenging that you prayed and prayed and prayed about but it felt like God wasn’t hearing you? Did it feel like no matter what you did, how much you prayed, or how hard you tried that it wasn’t getting any better? Did you feel hopeless? I have experienced that, on multiple occasions, but specifically with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

For about 10 years, I had struggled with severe fatigue and it seemed like no matter what I did, it wouldn’t get better. From ages 13-18, I took thyroid medication for an underactive thyroid. The fatigue started just about when I stopped the medication, so I always just assumed it was my thyroid. But after MANY blood tests and doctors visits, I accepted that it wasn’t my thyroid. Doctors told me it was depression, but even when I was mentally healthy enough to be off antidepressants, the fatigue didn’t change.

I was at the end of my rope with this fatigue. Nothing I did seemed to matter, until I read Acts 3. This chapter takes place after Jesus ascended to heaven and after the Holy Spirit came onto Jesus’s followers. This story takes place at the beginning of the Church. Peter and John are walking to the temple one day when they pass a lame beggar, meaning from birth, this man was unable to walk.

He would sit outside of the temple day after day begging for money, so when Peter and John walked up, he asked them for money. In verse 6, Peter says, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” 

“In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

The man was healed and we see in verse 8 that he “jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the temple with them.” PRAISE GOD! This man waited so long for a miracle, and he didn’t even think he was going to get one! He was asking for money, but Peter and John knew that what Jesus could offer him was worth so much more.

Not only was he healed, but all the people at the temple saw what happened, they were astounded! Many of these people ended up following Jesus because they witnessed this miracle. When I read this story, I was filled with so much hope. If God healed this man after decades of not being able to walk, surely He could heal me.

Eventually, I did a two week fast praying for healing from the fatigue and asked God to tell me “Get up and walk” so I would know he healed me … but nothing happened. I’m not going to lie, my hope was shaken. So, I moved on and went about my life just assuming this was it. The fatigue would never get better.

About 5 months later, I was having a particularly low day when God reminded me of what my mentor had experienced. She had also experienced severe fatigue in her life and was healed from it. The reminder refreshed my hope! And then later that day, that same mentor texted me that it was the one year anniversary of her healing and wanted me to be encouraged to not give up. I couldn’t believe it! God had reminded me of her healing on the same day as her anniversary of that healing. 

I was also in the middle of the book “The Familiar Stranger” by Tyler Stanton and my next chapter “happened” to be about healing. After texting with my mentor and reading this chapter about healing, I took it as an opportunity to pray for healing. I had repented of my doubt and asked God to heal my fatigue.

All of a sudden, I felt the aches leaving my legs! I couldn’t believe it! It is hard to summarize what happened during this moment in a short blog post, but please believe me when I say it was a miracle! I knew God had healed me! And do you know what I heard from Him right after? I heard Him say, “Get up and walk.” I should add that I had forgotten about that request, but the Lord remembered! That was 5 months ago now, and the ache in my legs has not returned.

I don’t know what healing is going to look like for you. I don’t know when or how it will happen, but I do believe it will. The lame man in Acts 3 waited 40 years for his miracle. Day after day, he would show up to the temple to beg for money. And His healing came even when he wasn’t expecting it!

I can’t say for sure, but a big part of me believes his healing took place when it did (rather than earlier in his life) because it then created an opportunity for Peter to preach a sermon that led to THOUSANDS of people coming to Jesus. Maybe that’s what God has in store for you; a testimony so powerful that many people will know Jesus because of it! 

I believe He will heal you. I believe you have an Acts 3 story coming.

I guess what I am trying to say is, don’t give up hope. Keep showing up, keep praying, and keep hoping. God knows what you are going through. He sees you, and I believe He will heal you. I believe you have an Acts 3 story coming. It may not happen exactly when or how you want it to, but I truly believe that you will soon hear the words “Get up and walk.” 

With love,

Holy in Progress