It’s not a matter of either/or but both/and.

Years ago I met a gentleman at a Sunday evening service. I asked him what he did during the afternoon. He told me he had visited the local hospital, as he usually did, and prayed for sick people. I asked him what he was praying, to which he quickly responded that they, of course, would be healed.

I then asked how he knew it was always God’s will that people  be healthy and well. I’ll never forget the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice as he firmly declared that it’s always God’s will that we be well and not sick. He thought I was some sort of heretic for asking or questioning.

I don’t recall what I said, but do know I was thinking that this stance didn’t square completely with the Bible’s teaching.

Paul prayed three times for (apparently) some sort of physical condition and God told him “No,” live with it. My power shows up best in weak people~ 2 Corinthians 12:9.

In 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul mentions that he left Trophimus sick at Miletus. From other Scripture we know that Paul was the means of healing for people—why not Trophimus?

“Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down from the mountainside. Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached him and knelt before him, Lord, the man said, if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean. Jesus reached out and touched him. I am willing he said, be healed! And instantly the leprosy disappears.” ~ Matthew 8:1-3 NLT

Question: Are there some situations where Jesus is willing and others where (for whatever reason) He’s not willing?

I believe that He’s always able, but (at this point in my journey)  I want a biblical understanding of both healing and suffering). I’m not convinced He’s always willing, and I don’t know why—maybe I’ll never know why!

You don’t have to look far to see godly men and women who love and trust Jesus, but who have physical situations that it would nice to be done with; but they are not healed or restored to good health; even though they, and others, have prayed for healing.

Joni Eareckson Tada would be a case in point. Could it possibly be that the Lord has done more through her life than He would have done if she were completely healed?

I’m led to understand that Charles Spurgeon wrote one of his most beloved books, “The Treasury of  David” while sick in bed. In fact he spent lots of time sick in bed. Why? Could not God have healed him? Was God not willing? Did he not have enough faith to be healed?

Hellen Keller was deaf, blind and dumb. Was the Lord not willing to heal her, as well as healing blind Fanny Crosby who wrote some of our most beloved hymns?

Some might say people who are not healed either have sin in their lives or haven’t enough faith to be healed. But Jesus healed people in the gospels because of someone else’s faith, not their own. And Job’s friend said all of his problems were due to sin in his life. God said otherwise and had other reasons for allowing his suffering.

I’ve been thinking that suffering is not always something to be freed from but to learn from.

I’m  85 and am starting to have arthritis in my knees and wrists. If God doesn’t heal me, It will more than likely get worse.  There’s no known cure for arthritis. I can manage it in various ways.  I could be looking at a cane, walker, wheelchair or knee replacements; none of which I desire. Ego and pride get in my way. My ego is not my amigo!

I pray daily for Jesus to take it all away and heal me.  But in the same breath I’m praying that if He chooses not to, I would learn whatever he wants me to learn through the pain and suffering and trust Him in the midst of it all.

                          I’ve no doubt He’s able, but am not convinced He’s always willing!

One of my early mentors, Warren Myers, shared with me, (when close to death, and experiencing a great deal of pain) that if it would bring more glory to God to have increased pain, he wanted more pain—don’t think I’m there yet. When God’s glory is more important to me than the degree of suffering He’s allowing me to have, I believe I will have reached another level of maturity.

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with Joy, and the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus…” Acts 20:24 NKJ

Paul was being warned that returning to Jerusalem might mean his death. But this possibility did not deter him from doing what He believed God wanted him to do! If possible death did not deter him, than suffering (which he had his share of) certainly would not.

I want to be able to say more and more, not WHY ME, but TEACH ME! I know You can heal me and remove the suffering, but more importantly, use the suffering to teach me, grow me and mature me!

This is where I am at the moment with my understanding of both “Healing and Suffering.” Love to hear your thoughts!