When God Doesn’t Heal

Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

My son was born with an immune deficiency.  My older daughter was born with an exceptionally rare form of muscular dystrophy.  My mother-in-law is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease.  I have multiple sclerosis.  The risk of having a child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy is 0.002%.  The occurence of my son’s immune deficiency is less than 2%.  One in ten people 65 or older have Alzheimer’s disease.  The odds of have multiple sclerosis is 0.03%.  These are independent risks, so multiplying the odds of all of these is quite low (about 1 in 109).  Put another way, you are 10 times as likely to win the lottery.

I have prayed at least daily for healing.  I have experience with prayers for healing not being answered the way I desire.  I have had the elders of the church pray over my family.  I have had our pastor anoint me with oil and pray over my family.  I have beaten myself up over lacking the faith necessary for healing to come, because I’ve “checked all the boxes”.  I’ve thought, “God has to heal.”  “I’ve met all the requirements.  He needs to do His part.”  Very arrogant and badly focused I would say.

The question, “How much faith is necessary for healing?” comes to mind often.  Jesus answers this question for his apostles.  “Then the disciples approached Jesus privately and said, “Why couldn’t we drive it out? ”  “Because of your little faith,”he told them.“For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:19)   The tiniest bit of faith, when it is true faith from God, grows to immense proportions in the lives of believers.  That is how much faith necessary for healing. [I found this blog very insightful regarding healing and faith.]

Beth Moore has said, “God may not always will for us to be physically healed in these earthly bodies or tangibly prosperous, but He always wills for us to be free from strongholds.” We are promised, "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)  Are we willing, am I willing to trust that God is good, that His plans are perfect, and His love is unfathomable even when He wills not to heal physically?  99% of the time, I am enslaved to an emotional stronghold inflicted by the enemy that keeps me from experiencing His unfathomable love, His goodness, and it keeps me from exercising my faith and trust in this great God!

  1. What are you praying for healing for today?
  2. Do you trust God with the answer?
  3. Are there strongholds in your life that are keeping you from experiencing the God who is good, who is perfect, and who is overflowing with an unfathomable love for you?  If so, what is your response?  Like me do you choose to let the enemy work overtime in your life or do you go to war against the enemy?


--Zine Smith

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