It’s just my armpits, I thought as I stared into the mirror, both arms raised to expose the two-week-old incisions where the surgeon had extracted lymph nodes for biopsy.

Each underarm bore a neatly stitched closure, and where it joined the skin was thick, about the length and breadth of a pinky finger. Not hideous, but a noticeable and lasting visual reminder of the cancer I had removed from my breasts. I could always skip wearing sleeveless blouses or sundresses.

I had prayed for God to heal me of breast cancer and believe He answered with the surgery, which resulted in clear margins. Knowing He healed me inside would overcome any self-consciousness over the marks left behind.

God’s healing power can sometimes seem invisible and take longer than we prefer (Psalm 30:2). Often, we fail to recognize healing in the day-to-day because it occurs at a microscopic level. But this does not negate the healing power the Lord wields.

David praises the Lord for hearing his cries and healing him. He does not downplay the healing, even if it may have taken years. We know from other psalms that David asked for healing and questioned the Lord about how long it would take.

God’s healing may not look as we expect. I have family members who did not receive their healing in this life. We can praise the Lord who hears us when we cry out for healing, nonetheless.

During thirty rounds of radiation, my skin began to change under both arms. There was some burning as a side effect, plus a week of peeling, and afterwards a light tan everywhere I had been exposed to the treatment.

There was also healing. Six months after the surgery, only faint lines appeared where the once prominent incisions and lumps of skin had been. At the surgeon’s follow-up, she remarked, “Now you can hardly tell you ever had cancer.”

The healing that God orchestrated inside my body was an answer to prayer. But He did not stop there. He healed beyond what I had dared to ask. Ask God for your healing.