Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Healing and Faith
One thing I have become more aware of as I am on this blogging journey is that there are many who suffer. I have read blogs of families and individuals who are suffering with physical illness,emotional despair,and death of a loved one. It has been so great to see how blogging makes a way for me to find out about these families and have the privilege of praying for them. I have grown to love those who I have committed to pray for. I have also grown in my devotion to God in understanding that suffering is His plan for us and it is through these times that we grow in our faith and learn to trust God so much more...knowing that Christ suffered the ultimate suffering as our example....it has truly blessed my life to see such godly people walking in faith during extreme difficulty.
Some who have great faith and love for God are not healed, though. Some are and we praise God for that...but what about those who have not experienced that healing. Is it from a lack of faith on their part? No,in fact I think that is one of the cruelest theology mishaps out there.
When Jesus walked upon this Earth he healed many to show the father's glory...to reveal that He truly was the Son of God. He chose who He healed and He did not heal all. There were even some signs, or miracles, not accounted for in the book of John. (John 20:30) We have an account of some of those miracles in the Gospel of John. This book was written so that "you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." John 20:31 This was the purpose of John writing his account of what happened. We have been going through John in our equipping hour class at church, verse by verse. We recently learned about the healing of a man who had been sick for 38 years in chapter 5. Jesus asked him if he would like to be healed...and he said he had no one to put him in the water...His faith was not in Jesus...it was in the waters and he wanted Jesus to place him in the waters. Jesus simply said, "Arise, take up your pallet and walk." Immediately the man became well. Of course this whole passage shows that the Jewish leaders were upset that the man was carrying his pallet on the Sabbath...the whole focus was wrong and was paving the way for wanting Jesus dead. Later in the temple Jesus found the man whom He had healed. Jesus spoke with him and told him he was well now...do not sin anymore...then the man went and told the Jews that that was the man who healed him. Does this sound like faith?
Our healing is not based on our faith. It is based on the sovereign grace of God and His work...to bring Him glory. Our suffering brings Him glory.
I often think of Joni Earackson Tada, who has been paralyzed since her teenage years. What an amazing woman of faith. Her suffering has brought much glory to the Lord.
We can not claim our healing...we can not wish it upon us with a certain prayer or even deep strong faith. We must trust that God is doing what He has to do to bring Himself glory.
It is a cruel and unbiblical thing to say that if we just have enough faith, we will be healed. There are many people in church history who has suffered extreme persecution, loss of children, suffering from disabilities, blind...etc. Their faith was strong..much stronger than mine and it was because of their suffering. Can we rightly say to someone..."you would be fine if you just had enough faith or if you just claimed the healing that was yours..."
John MacArthur says:
What do you say about this?
Some who have great faith and love for God are not healed, though. Some are and we praise God for that...but what about those who have not experienced that healing. Is it from a lack of faith on their part? No,in fact I think that is one of the cruelest theology mishaps out there.
When Jesus walked upon this Earth he healed many to show the father's glory...to reveal that He truly was the Son of God. He chose who He healed and He did not heal all. There were even some signs, or miracles, not accounted for in the book of John. (John 20:30) We have an account of some of those miracles in the Gospel of John. This book was written so that "you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." John 20:31 This was the purpose of John writing his account of what happened. We have been going through John in our equipping hour class at church, verse by verse. We recently learned about the healing of a man who had been sick for 38 years in chapter 5. Jesus asked him if he would like to be healed...and he said he had no one to put him in the water...His faith was not in Jesus...it was in the waters and he wanted Jesus to place him in the waters. Jesus simply said, "Arise, take up your pallet and walk." Immediately the man became well. Of course this whole passage shows that the Jewish leaders were upset that the man was carrying his pallet on the Sabbath...the whole focus was wrong and was paving the way for wanting Jesus dead. Later in the temple Jesus found the man whom He had healed. Jesus spoke with him and told him he was well now...do not sin anymore...then the man went and told the Jews that that was the man who healed him. Does this sound like faith?
Our healing is not based on our faith. It is based on the sovereign grace of God and His work...to bring Him glory. Our suffering brings Him glory.
I often think of Joni Earackson Tada, who has been paralyzed since her teenage years. What an amazing woman of faith. Her suffering has brought much glory to the Lord.
We can not claim our healing...we can not wish it upon us with a certain prayer or even deep strong faith. We must trust that God is doing what He has to do to bring Himself glory.
It is a cruel and unbiblical thing to say that if we just have enough faith, we will be healed. There are many people in church history who has suffered extreme persecution, loss of children, suffering from disabilities, blind...etc. Their faith was strong..much stronger than mine and it was because of their suffering. Can we rightly say to someone..."you would be fine if you just had enough faith or if you just claimed the healing that was yours..."
Hebrews 2:10 says: It was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
John MacArthur says:
Christians can identify with their Master because like Him, they suffer to enter their glory....The path to glory for Christ was the path of unjust suffering. That's our path also. Jesus endured suffering with perfect patience and was exalted to the highest point of glory. He is our example of how to respond to suffering.
What do you say about this?
I am a stay at home mother to 4. I am very blessed to have a godly husband who loves the Lord and his family. I welcome the days of much needed grace,the times of sweet victories,and the tears of trials,knowing it is all for God's glory. I want my lifesong to sing to Him,the author and finisher of my faith. Soli Deo Gloria--To the Glory of God alone.
17 Comments:
AMEN, sister.
How thought provoking and true. Even Paul in the Bible had a thorn in his flesh...that was not removed.
I think many of us have been following the Wilhoite prayer blog and even in her posts...she knows it's God's will. HEr outlook and faith have blessed my life immensely.
I have struggled with people who either don't believe He heals or who are steadfastly hurt and angry that trials and illness have come their way, much less "the" miracle. I am being challenged to learn ways of ministering to their need...need for information, need for understanding, need for understanding that Jesus didn't promise us a life of no tribulation...He did promise us everlasting life.
I believe He has many ways of healing...not just how we envision it. As much as I cannot fathom not being here on earth to mother my daughter, can I honestly say if His method of healing was to bring me home to heaven that it isn't healing?
This post brought many thought-provoking points to me. Thanks
Kristi in Texas
Very, very well said, Kim. Thank you for this post. So many hurtful and just plain wrong things are said in the "name-it, claim-it" faulty approach.
Such a great post, Kim. My husband suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and was struck with this disease that he has renamed "body on fire" when he was 19. He went through a period of depression wondering if he was being punished for not having enough faith but he soon realized God had a different purpose for his life than he originally thought. Through his pain he has helped so many people and was honored this past fall for his work raising money and awareness.
So very true, every word you have written. When I was too young to know better, my family spent about 10 years in a church that taught a "name it and claim it" theology. It was actually taught from the pulpit that one only had to reach out and claim one's healing, and with enough faith, God was obligated to come through.
Praise God, when I went away to college, He led me to a great Bible-teaching fellowship and helped me separate fact from fiction. My heart breaks for those whose view of God has been so perverted.
So glad to discover your blog!
A fellow Razorback,
Sheryl
I agree that it is a cruel and unbiblical theology that links lack of faith with suffering. One thing I have learned about healing is that I don't necessarily have to believe he WILL heal (this side of heaven), but I must believe that He CAN. In His sovereignty He will act according to His good, pleasing and perfect will. My true faith is in Him, not the healing. He gets the glory, either way.
Great points,Cyndi! I agree!
Kim
Good post, Kim. I am so saddened by the idea that true faith brings about healing. He is sovreign and His plans are not always our plans. It is all about His Glory! Sometimes it is hard to answer the Why's, but it is all for the Who!
Kim, if I shout my agreement from GA, can you hear me now? Wonderful, well-written wisdom you've applied here with sensitivity and tact, boldly forthright.
One of the most hurtful comments I ever received during my first son's life was "If you had enough faith, he would be healed." That type of theology spurns God's grace to use suffering to conform us to the image of His Son who suffered for the sake of His sheep. (Isa 53)
If I confess the name of Jesus as Lord, then I must trust that all things He allows to come to me, both in joy and sorrow, are fashioned to make me more like Christ, and always, always, always to the praise of His glory!
I am so glad that I am reading your blog today. I am having one of my days where it takes all I have to walk. The arthritis in my feet and the neuropothy from my diabetis makes moving hard some days. I have been told a story of a woman who was placed in a wheelchair and learned that it was where she needed to be. She became a prayer warrior and built a special relationship with the lord.
Kim, you wrote this so intelligently and clearly. Only He knows fully why He orders things the way He does. We must put our trust into Him and that He knows all and has a perfect will, whether He grants healing or not.
Kim,
Thank you for your insight. I have had many tell me that because of lack of faith I'm not healed. It's very hurtful to me.
Your words have brough much comfort to me.
This topic reminded me of a song from Ginny Owens. It is called "If You Want Me To". Here are the words.
The pathway is broken
And The signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If You want me to
Chorus:
Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet
so if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will walk through the fire
If You want me to
It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone
So When the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I will go through the valley
If You want me to
AMEN twofold! I don't like it at all when people suggest that if someone is sick, all they have to do is get enough people to pray for them and "POOF", they'll be healed. What if that isn't God's will for them? What if His will for them is to call them home? And I agree, it is one of the cruelest things to tell a person. That because THEY are not faithful enough, God won't heal them? Yikes. That's a pretty hard pill to swallow!
I heard a Bible teacher say (I think it was Beth Moore?) that saying to God, "I'm trusting You that _______ will not happen" is not trust at all. Instead trust says "I trust You NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS." To say that God will be good and faithful despite the circumstances, now that is faith! Oh, for faith to say, "Whatever comes to me, I say YES to Your will and Your way, being confident that it will prove to be good, acceptable and perfect!"
Challenging thoughts, Kim...
Great post Kim!
Amen and Amen!
Thoroughly wonderful post, Kim. Sadly, I lived this experience over 17 years ago when my brother died of colon cancer. Members of our church said to me, "Your brother died because of your lack of faith," and "He died because of unconfessed sin."
The sad truth is that this sort of experience often drives people away from faith in God.
I'm glad you shared this truth.
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