Thy Will Be Done – Dr Samuel Krishnamurthy

Appacha (aka Dr. Samuel Krishnamurthy) is my Grandfather. He’s been a role model for me through most of my childhood. I’ve learned a lot from him over the years. I would sit with him in his hospital and try and observe as much as I could. He converted to Christianity in his 20s and moved to Kerala (after being shut out from his household). He decided to settle down in Changanacherry, a small town. He did not even know Malayalam back then but chose to practice medicine there. He faced many hardships throughout his life, including three different cancer episodes. Below is a testimonial he wrote a few months back that I wanted to share with you all.

Suffering is an unavoidable part of our lives. There is no exception. Even the only Son of God! How and in what way we face it lies the fact. Are we dedicated to God’s ways? We are all weak – weak in mind and body. And often, we break down by the heavy burden of suffering. Our response is usually one of the following: 

(i) Why such suffering for me, God, a follower of thee?

(ii) Take away these sufferings from me, if not take my life away as I can no more bear this. 

(iii) All say Thou art a loving God. Is this thy love? And we curse God. 

(iv) I leave all to God. Do as you please. 

Only a weak human body and spirit can understand the depth and understanding of suffering. So God sent his Son, in human Son, to live in every way like a weak human being like us. He did not fall in the trap of temptation. But he had all other qualities and weaknesses of an ordinary man, lived as a common man to show us an example of how in such a weak human frame one can conquer suffering and in what way one should face suffering. It is a universal fact that none, in human history, suffered as much pain, shame, and isolation as Jesus. He showed us how our faith should withstand pain, to leave all in His hands, cure or no cure. To believe God is good in all his ways. 

In the book of Daniel, we see an example of true faith. In it, three youngsters face the great emperor Nebuchadnezzar, who threatened them with death by fire if they did not pay homage to the image set up by him. “Who is this God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”, He shouted, challenging the true God that the youngsters believed. Their answer was the ideal answer for such a threat to their lives. He will deliver us out of thy hand O King. We will not serve thy God. We all pray to God when we face disastrous circumstances. That is the right thing to do as he is our only refuge. As the youngsters say:

“But even if not, thou art my God, not depending upon the good I received from thee, but whatever I received from thee.” 

Is our faith strong enough to say the same? 

Knowing fully well what was awaiting him the next day, Jesus prayed at Gethsemane (As human beings, we all would have prayed) my father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but, as thou will. He set an example for us that explains the true significance of 

“Let thy will be done.” 

Whatever it be, where do we stand on our faith? Only in shouting praises when the wind blows favorably and groan and complain when all goes wrong? Show we not reach the stage of:

“But even if not, thou art my God.” 

as declared by the youngsters facing sure death by being burnt alive or as our Saviour facing the cross declared 

“Nevertheless not as I will but as Thou wills.” 

True faith is complete surrender. I am a cancer survivor and was attacked with the disease thrice. During the three instances, I was swinging between life and death on numerous occasions. To the great surprise of medical specialists, I was completely cured. During the first episode, the original tumor was at the prostate, and there were secondary attacks in my bones, which was medically a hopeless case. The primary tumor completely disappeared, and the secondary lesions were not to detected at all. How indescribable! The second attack was on the tongue. I could not eat, drink or speak, and above all, the odor would make it difficult even for doctors to come near me. 

I am today normal, speaking, drinking, and eating normally. How? The third time was the worst. There was a red tumor, the size of a tomato, detected at the end part of the large intestine, leading to continuous bleeding. More than one foot of my intestine was cut off, and my life was hanging in the balance this time. Once again, I was completely healed. How?

In all these instances, I never lost my faith in Jesus. My loving Lord whose presence I felt all through the ordeal. The specialist surgeons who treated in all these instances had one question to ask me “How can you be so normal, happy, and behaving as though nothing has happened? My answer was this:

“If only you know the ONE whom I know, then you would not have asked this question.”

God has raised me from nothing. From the day I was driven out of my home and given a peaceful Godly home to live happily, he has promised me his constant presence and a better, much better heavenly home. Then why should I be sad or worried? My only prayer was this: “Let thy will be done.”

Yes, let our faith be so firm so as to conquer all earthly conditions, happiness, or sorrow with the one and only great prayer of our Lord.

LET THY WILL BE DONE

WE CAN CONQUER THE WORLD

AND ALL THE SUFFERING THEREIN

PRAISE THE LORD!”

– Dr Samuel Krishnamurthy