Let’s see if we can find the middle of the road on the subject of healing. On one hand you have people who believe it just doesn’t happen anymore, like God is somehow against the miraculous. On the other hand, there are those who think God is chomping at the bit, just dying to heal someone right now (ironically that’s exactly what He did through the death of Jesus. However, the ball is now in our court, and healing needs to be pursued).
Both of these angles can lead to frustration and depression. If you believe healing is a thing of the past, what kind of message will you share with a world that desperately needs it? Most people, after praying for healing and not getting it, eventually fall for the idea that God wants them to be sick. If that was true, why did Jesus heal people when he was here? Would He deliberately do something that is against the Father’s will? Why do we pray for the sick at all if God doesn’t want them to be healed, and why would anyone see a doctor if God wants them to be sick? I believe healing can be delayed for many reasons, but that doesn’t mean we should go to the extreme and start believing it isn’t for today.
The other extreme is to believe that the only reason anyone is sick, is because you haven’t had the opportunity to lay hands on them yet. I don’t mean to burst any bubbles here, but there are many people who won’t get healed no matter what you do for them. Simply put, some are not willing to pay the price of getting well. Two words come to mind when I think about the price of healing. First — exposure. Choosing to be an open book in the presence of a fellow believer (James 5:16), can be a scary thing. One can feel very exposed and vulnerable. It is important to open up, just make sure you are doing that with the right person. When you share your story with a true Christian, your pain, fears and struggles end up at the cross, not in the church newspaper. Second — pain. Some people seem to think something went horribly wrong if they feel the slightest pinch of pain while they are pursuing healing. The truth is, a person can experience excruciating pain when removing something from the soul that originated in Hell. A sickness or disease that can kill you will of course be painful if you ask God to extract it from your body.
Sicknesses and diseases can be caused by worry, stress, bad eating habits, disobedience, and unfinished business in the soul, just to name a few. If a person is unwilling to deal with the issues that caused the sickness in the first place, then God’s hands are tied, so to speak, and healing can be delayed if not forfeited altogether.
I have no doubt that God wants to heal us, but He also wants us to figure out why we were sick in the first place (if we don’t know how we got there, how are we going to avoid ending up there again?). In my opinion, it’s ridiculous to say that healing is not for today because chances are, with that attitude, you probably won’t experience any. At the same time, I don’t think we should be telling God how He should run the place and just demand that He heal everyone (because He has a wider view of things than we do).
I believe a “middle of the road” attitude goes something like this. “God, I choose to believe for healing and restoration wherever it is needed, first in me, and then in those around me. I yield to your timetable. I’m willing to learn some things about myself and make the necessary adjustments. You have my best interests in mind, and I will trust you through the good, the bad, and the ugly.” And beware, it usually gets ugly. Don’t be surprised if/when the “good” feelings you’ve experienced in Christianity take a back seat for a while as you feel and retrieve some painful things trapped inside. During those times when it feels like Heaven has closed up shop, remember that salvation and healing (and the presence of God in general) are not based on a feeling. Take the rain along with the sunshine. Keep learning even while you are in the valley. If/when bad things happen, do what you need to do (if someone needs a doctor, take them to a good/safe one) but keep the faith. Do some soul-searching. Ask God if He would like to reveal any curses or root causes in the midst of your calamity. He just might surprise you when you’re at your lowest point.
For more thoughts on healing, read “The Healing Journey.”
P.S. — Please use caution as you become aware of these things (that there can be a root cause to people’s problems and calamities, “can” being the key word). If someone is walking through a valley, start by being a friend who is caring, understanding and kind rather than trying to fix all of their problems for them. If you sense someone might be open to this approach on healing, perhaps at an appropriate time you could direct them to this website.