Why Don’t Miracles Happen Anymore (Or Do They)?

Written by Hilary Charlet, USA

When we were kids, I watched my brother nearly lose his life more than once as he underwent open heart surgery. The surgeon sat us down once, and told us that if my brother survived the night, they’d likely have to amputate his leg.

I watched as tears fell down the doctor’s face. I wanted to curl up in a ball and go back to a few days before when we were playing together outside and everything was fine. Never had my little heart prayed harder than in those following hours.

Only by God’s power did my brother make it through that night, and only by God’s grace did the nurses manage to discover a blood condition he had that was causing a 12-inch blood clot in his leg. Slowly, they figured out what was causing him to become so sick, and day by day, he started to improve. It took 28 days, but he pushed through, one step at a time. There were lots and lots of tears and setbacks and bumps along the way, but God held us together and got us all through it.

Today, my brother is living a normal life. He takes blood thinners and though he did have a blood clot a couple years ago, his leaking heart valve is repaired and he can do anything everyone else can do. He’s now a nurse at a hospital, helping those who are sick as he was when he was a child.

Looking back, I can say without a doubt that God performed a miracle to keep my brother alive.

 

Everyday Occurrences

But such extraordinary events are usually few and far between. Some of us may have the opportunity to witness them in our lifetimes but not for the majority of us.

Why don’t things that happened in the Bible happen anymore?

Why aren’t blind people given sight? Why can’t people walk on water? How come none of us can change water into wine, or multiply a few loaves of bread into enough to feed thousands? Why aren’t people spared their lives after being swallowed by a whale?

Instead, we witness people drowning in boating accidents, parents struggling to feed their children one meal a day, family and friends suffering from illnesses.

Why don’t miracles happen anymore?

As defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a miracle is:

  1. an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs
  2. an extremely outstanding or unusual event, thing, or accomplishment

Though what we see today might not be as extraordinary as in the biblical times, I would argue that miracles are still as evident as ever. We wake up each day, heart beating, blood pumping through our veins, adrenaline rushing. We walk outside to the sun shining down on us, rain falling from the sky. We observe the seasons changing, leaves falling, crops sprouting, farmers harvesting. These are things we have grown so accustomed to, that have lost their uniqueness, their wonder and awe.

But let’s take a step back and relook these “everyday occurrences”. Think of a baby being born. She comes out of the womb, takes a breath, cries, and knows how to suck in order to get nutrients from the mother. Without being taught, without being told what to do, the baby just knows what it needs to do to survive.

Consider the sun, the moon, and the stars and the beautiful creation of oceans, mountains, hills and valleys. They’re placed precisely where they need to be in order to maintain life on earth.

You see, the miracles in the present age are different from what we read in the Bible, but they are as evident as ever before. What we view as impossible―the diagnosis of what appears to be no hope, the loveless marriage that is headed for divorce, the circumstances in which you feel forgiveness will never be granted―we see these negative situations and feel there is no hope, but then we see God move and soften hearts and flip the situations around. It’s just like what is said in Luke 18:27, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Why are these miracles different from those of the Israelites or the apostles back in the day? Why can’t we ask the Lord for something in prayer and it be granted to us, since we can no longer physically touch Jesus for healing like they did in the Bible? We don’t know for sure why the miracles vary, but regardless, God is still moving and He is still present. He is all around us, at every moment, and He hears our cries and pleas and is working everything together for our good (Romans 8:28).

A miracle doesn’t have to be a huge display of completely amazing happenings, it can be found in the simplicity of the ordinary. Every breath we take is a miracle. Every day we wake up, we’re given another chance to carry out another day. If life in itself isn’t a miracle, then I don’t know what is.

2 replies
  1. Irvin Stowell
    Irvin Stowell says:

    I really enjoyed reading this story. It brought comfort and happiness. Yet you say YMI is for young people. I am not as young as young people anymore, I am 58 years young. I could use the exuberance of youth to help me. Hopefully, I could help too.

    Reply
    • YMI
      YMI says:

      Hi Irvin, thanks for your kind words 🙂 We’re so encouraged that you found YMI beneficial. Though our content might be geared towards a young person, the truths of the bible are timeless and we’re definitely happy that they resonate with readers of all ages.

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