Christ the Great Healer: Bob’s Story

Suffering and struggling will always be a part of the Christian walk, but it looks different in every individual and family’s life. Christ suffered on this earth and thankfully has a perfect understanding of our suffering. Christ, in His supreme suffering, is the highest, clearest, surest display of the glory of the grace of God. When you suffer and trust in God to heal it is the same - the greatest display of the glory of grace, but it doesn’t always feel like that in your suffering.

  As a foster parent with a foster child, suffering can come in different forms. Challenge after trauma-filled challenge comes without fail, but the God of all never fails either. During this pain and difficulty, how can healing through Christ come to fruition?

  Suffering is an essential part of the created universe in which the greatness and grace of God can be most fully revealed. We know suffering is an essential part of the tapestry of the universe so that the weaving of grace can be seen for what it is. 

  “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” (1 Peter 5:10)

  Once you have suffered He promises to restore you and give you strength and establish you. Bob Kegley, a volunteer at OCA has that very story from his own life of restoration from our great God. 

  Bob was born in Virginia into a house with no running water or electricity. When he was one week old the Welfare department knocked on their door. Bob was found lying in a corner, wrapped in dirty rags. He was removed right away with his younger siblings in tow. Bob’s ten brothers and sisters were all eventually placed in different Foster Homes.

  Life would never be the same for Bob. But, through all the trials, through all the tears, through all the stress and trauma that he endured, Christ held Him. And through all the hard times he recalled so many beautiful moments that God showered grace on his life.

  He remembers when he handed his life over to Jesus at age 14. This moment was the beginning of a new life for him. It wasn’t easier, but he would find more peace than he had ever experienced before.

  For the first part of his life, Bob struggled with depression and longed to grow up and find his parents. With all this turmoil came the desire to die for the entire first 21 years of his life. 

  Eventually, Bob would learn that the Holy Spirit was at work in his life and had many memorable experiences with feeling the love of God. Like at the age of 21, the Lord delivered Bob from the spirit of Hurt and Rejection and this was the first time in his life that he did not want to die. He experienced the power of God both emotionally and physically.

  Today, Bob is 59-years-old and says he is completely healed from the trauma that he endured as a child in Foster Care. He knows who he is and his identity is found only in Christ. Christ has fully healed Bob.

  Jesus has taken his brokenness and put the pieces of his life together. He has healed his wounds and helped him to forgive those that hurt him. He found the very lover of His soul, Jesus, who has brought joy instead of heartache, forgiveness instead of judgment, the ability to live in the present instead of living in the past, and a peace that sustains him. To Jesus, Bob will continue to surrender, knowing that God loves him with a never-ending love. 

 He discovered helpful things along this journey that he wants to share with others:

1. Find a safe person to talk to

2. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and talk about your trauma. In doing so, the power of the enemy is broken. 

3. Decide that you will take a chance and trust someone. I finally started trusting my wife at age 50.

4. Prayer is crucial.

5. Renew your mind through the Word Of God

6. Take thoughts captive and don’t believe the lies of the enemy.

Whether we are able or disabled, enduring loss or delighting in friends, suffering pain or savoring pleasure, all of us who believe in Christ are immeasurably rich in him and have so much to live for. Don’t waste your life. Savor the riches that you have in Christ and pour out yourself no matter the cost to spread your riches to this desperate world and trust in a God who heals. Just ask Bob.