The Faith of a Child's Prayer

Image from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints media library

 

"A few years ago I experienced a series of health problems involving my heart and my endocrine system, and not long after, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I felt like my life was hijacked by frequent encounters with doctors, nurses, technicians, and hospital settings. For me, it was unsettling, upsetting, and undignified. I hated feeling exposed and prodded. I often felt judged by indifferent strangers. My faith remained strong, and yet I found myself anxious and afraid far too much of the time. Feelings of self-pity and resentment crept into my thoughts and I found it difficult to overcome them. At one point in the middle of all this, I had a conversation with one of my daughters about her youngest child preparing to start kindergarten. He was frightened about upcoming immunizations. The night before his appointment with the pediatrician she knelt with him in prayer. He prayed that he would be okay when he went to the doctor, and that Heavenly Father would help him to be a “brave boy.” The next morning at the appointment he was calm, and as the nurse administered the shots he looked ahead and did not complain or cry out. He later told his mom that he knew that Heavenly Father loved him and had heard his prayer, and had helped him to be brave. I was touched by this account of my grandchild’s faith and trust in a loving and compassionate Father in Heaven. 

I thought about his faith often, and inspired by it, I started adding a new petition to my own daily prayers. Although I am a wife, mother, and grandmother, I felt impressed to ask the Lord to help me to be a “brave boy” too. I even used that exact phrase in my prayers! My emotional state had been that of a young and frightened child and I wanted to be brave. The same loving Heavenly Father who heard my grandson’s prayer heard my prayers. Although I still found these situations distressing, I was more aware of the help and comfort that I was receiving from God. I was able to face painful and difficult procedures and treatments with greater faith and trust in Him. I experienced less frustration towards my own body and towards health care providers. Through God’s help and mercy, I was able to be brave. My physical heart and body gradually healed. Even more significantly, my spiritual heart was healed as well."