A Teenager Turns to God

A teenager shares how he turned to God when his ankle became swollen and had a very fast healing.

By Teenager - age 13

Categories: Health

We were out for a walk with friends. I don't know what happened, but my ankle started hurting. I was riding my penny board (skateboard) and doing the best to keep my ankle up. The next morning, my ankle started swelling. That day, we sold watermelon at a resort, which my brother and I have been doing for several years. I was standing all day. That's probably when my ankle hurt the most.

My mom called a friend to help pray for me. Later, when I talked to her, our friend explained how God couldn't be hurt, so I couldn't be hurt. I'm God's child, and God is invincible! I live in God's kingdom. I prayed about it all day. That night, I cleared my thought of everything – all worries, problems, fear, concern, or pain. That's how I go to bed. It allows any good thoughts from God to fill up my thought. Then I fell asleep.

In the morning, my ankle was a lot better. The swelling was down. We went to church, and my Sunday school teacher talked about Naaman. He came to Elisha wanting to be healed of a skin disease. Naaman didn't want to listen to Elisha and dip himself in the Jordan River. But he finally did, and he was healed when he expressed humility and obedience.

I was thinking about that and realized I needed to listen to God more. I wanted the rest of the pain to go away. I needed to stop thinking about my ankle and its problems and set my focus elsewhere. If we always focus on the problem or the pain, it hurts more. Paul says, "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:8).