I remember the conversation well. I met the older gentleman just prior to a Sunday evening church service. I asked him what he had done during the afternoon. He responded telling me that he visited the hospital to pray for sick people. I thought that was admirable and asked him what he was praying for them. He told me he was praying for each one that they would be healed and stay well. I then asked him how he knew it was the will of God that they all be healed and well. He looked at me like I was some sort of a heretic and quickly assured me that it was indeed God’s will that people would be well and not sick.
I had my doubts then (over 40 years ago) and still have my doubts now that it’s always God’s will that we be healed, healthy and well.
I was recently meditating on 2 Corinthians 12:9 in the Living Bible—the precursor to the New Living Translation. This is where Paul seemed to have had some physical infirmity (no one is exactly sure what it was but many have speculated as to what it might have been) and prayed three times that God would take it away. God told him NO!
“Each time He said no. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people. Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power instead of showing off my own power and abilities.”
In Matthew 8:1-3, we have the story of a man with leprosy who came to Jesus, fell on his knees and told Jesus that if He was willing He could heal him and make him clean. Jesus then told the man that he was indeed willing and healed him on the spot.
Is it possible that God is sometimes not willing?
I honestly have questions—not about the goodness of God or the ability of God to heal, but if it is always His will to heal every sickness, disease or physical infirmity; which in some cases we may have been born with or in other cases acquired along the way in life’s journey.
I can think of well known people who prayed (and had others pray) but were never healed—For Example, Joni Eareckson Tada, the quadriplegic, who has had a remarkable world-wide impact.
I read that the prince of preachers Charles Haddon Spurgeon was often bedridden and actually wrote his well-known “Treasury of David” on the Psalms while sick in bed.
Sometimes when we are set aside because of unhealed sicknesses, we are empowered to do things we may not have been able to do if we were well—just a thought!
Much Of The Work In The World Is Done By People Who Are Tired And Don’t Feel Well!
How can we know if we should accept a NO from God as Paul did or continue to believe Jesus for healing?
One Pastor I know said that God is always willing to heal. If we are not healed, then it’s something in us, not in Him that prevents healing. Frankly, I’m not sure about that idea.
Maybe, just maybe, God is willing to heal in some cases, and not in others; and we simply don’t know why! I’m old enough to have come to the conclusion that it’s okay for me to say “I don’t know.”
When one of my early mentors, Warren Myers, was in the last stages of his cancer and experiencing a fair amount of pain, he told me that if having more pain would somehow glorify the Lord, then he wanted more pain. My mouth hung open in disbelieve. What can I say? I’m not there yet!
As most of you who are regular readers of my posts know, I had some rather serious medical challenges from the middle of June to the middle of August 2024. I’m blessed and grateful to still be alive.
I just turned 85 and still have some physical issues that I would like to have healed. But at the same time, I like what God told Paul, “My power shows up best in weak people. I am glad to boast about how weak I am so that I can be a living demonstration of Christ’s power…”
So I’m conflicted between wanting healing but at the same time willing to accept my physical weakness and limitations so that His power can be manifested in my life.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this very relevant and controversial issue!
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