That nightmare took place overnight and caught me with no warning. The morning I woke up, I could not close my left eye. The soup that I drank for my breakfast could not remain within my mouth and slowly spilled out. I could not eat properly as all the bolus were stucked in the left part of my mouth. Often my left eye teared copiously and uncontrollably. I asked to myself, what’s wrong with me. The mirror image of myself confirmed that something was wrong with my facial muscles as it showed a distorted sagging face. A few hours later, the doctor diagnosed me as having Bell’s Palsy. The name was so unfamiliar. I’ve never heard of it. But, I have to accept the fact that I was suffering from it. Then, I did some research on the disease. Bell’s Palsy is a temporary paralysis of facial muscles due to the inflammation in the 7^th cranial nerve caused by virus. That bundle of nerve is connected to all the facial muscles of one side of the face, eyes, nose, cheek, mouth, chin, forehead. The damage in this nerve is so severe that practically all the other facial nerves and muscles lose their motoric and sensoric functions. Fortunately, this sickness only affects one side of the face in most cases.

By God’s grace, I have been healed =)  Now, I have regained control of my facial muscles. The process was painfully and frustratingly slow. As I looked back, when this paralysis struck me, I was overwhelmed by works, projects, etc. I spent hours in front of computer doing school work and had little sleep. I tried to do all with my own strength. I lacked faith in God. I was playing the “choreographer” of my life, trying to design the path to my future perfectly. I planned for getting more As in the coming examinations, I drew up the Exchange Programme plan in Switzerland, devoting a lot of time and thoughts in it, as well as many other self-centered and self-glorifying plans. I forget that God says in the bible,”

Isaiah 55:8

8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Through the painful process, God has taught me to be patient, humble and have trust in HIM. Now, I am able to cherish if I could do the simple act of smiling. It was so frustrating, unable to smile to people whom I met. All in all, it took me about 6 months to regain 95% recovery.

I praised Jesus that HE has healed me. HE has been faithful to me, though I am not faithful. HE has answered my prayer. I was healed in time before the start of my exchange in Switzerland. The physical healing was awesome. But then, I was reminded that the greatest healing is not a physical one, but spiritual. As Christmas is approaching, I ponder about how the works of GOD has been woven intricately and purposefully into humanity. HE humbled himself to become flesh among us. HE came to the sick world to heal everybody who is humbling himself in repentance and accepts HIM as the TRUTH, SAVIOUR and HEALER.   

Christmas is the season of love for all. The greatest love and grace have come from above for the undeserved. Christmas is the moment of healing for the broken hearts, broken families and for the lost souls. Christmas is…………

John 3:16 (Amplified Bible)

16For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (^[a]unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all =)