I wanted to let you know about a healing that happened to me
Question:
First of all, I have found some great resources on your site, even though we differ in opinion on some things, I can respect what you believe. I wish I could have had someone like you to share some of the information with me from your book about growing from a boy into a man. And someone who would discipline me when I rebelled so much. I had no one to explain anything to me and it caused me many problems that I could have avoided. Some of those problems I am still recovering from even today.
I was reading some of your answers on healing and miracles, and I would like to share my story with you of a miracle God did in my life a few years ago. Our local paper heard about it and asked to do a story on it. So part of the results of the miracle was God was given the glory in front of thousands of unbelievers. I have even had a chance to go and minister to some of these people who were stricken with the same language disability I had. Here is a link to the story: A stroke took his voice, but he never lost faith.
Answer:
The Lord did grant you a great and precious gift in restoring your speech after a stroke. It was an amazing thing that it returned after so many years. But where you and I would differ is whether to label that gift a miracle or not.
Miracles are things beyond the natural function of the world. While the restoration of your speech is extremely rare, it has happened before. In quick research on the condition, I notice that there is one researcher is looking into singing as a way to cause the speech pathways to be restored, and having success with it. Perhaps he was inspired by your story. But rarity alone does not make something a miracle.
Zachariah lost his speech for about a year and it was restored (Luke 1). However, it is counted as a miracle because it was an angel who took his speech and it was prophesied well in advance exactly when his speech would be restored. "But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time" (Luke 1:20). The loss and restoration of Zachariah's speech then became a sign that John really would be the forerunner of the Christ just as the angel said.
It is that element that is missing from the events that happened to you. It is a rich and marvelous gift and God should be appropriately thanked, but this is not equivalent to the miracles of the Bible. Yet, it is still a wonderful thing that God has done for you.
Thank you for the kind words. If I can help in some small way with the other issues you deal with please let me know.
