Thursday, June 9, 2011

Why God Heals: 5 Common Misconceptions

Ever wonder why some people get healed and others don't? I Googled this question, and there're 286 people who also have the answer. But since you're reading this blog, here are 5 commonly held misconceptions as to why God heals:


1. People who get healed deserve it. 
I heard this more than once when Bill was healed of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy in October of 2000. The conversation would go like this: 
Me: "Bill was miraculously healed of PSP." 
Someone else: "Well, if anyone deserved to be healed, he sure did."


Actually, Bill never felt like he "deserved" healing--although he was thrilled when God did it. In fact, the Bible says what we really deserve is to go to hell, but that's another post. Think about the story of when Jesus healed 10 lepers, and only one came back to thank Him. If only deserving people get healed, then why did Jesus heal the other 9 who weren't thankful? Even though they didn't thank Jesus, they still were healed! So, whether or not we are healed has nothing to do with what we deserve, but has everything to do with God's choice to heal.


2. If God heals you, He must have something important for you to do. 
We also heard this when Bill was healed, almost as if everything he had done prior to being healed was not important, and now he had to solve world peace. The thought that he was healed so he could "do something important" was a burden on him for years, and he finally had to burn his red cape and come to the conclusion that his job was to "fear God and keep his commandments," (Ecc. 12:13), and let God deal with the future of the world.


3. People who get healed pray the right prayers. 
The Apostle Paul prayed three times to be healed, and God didn't heal Him. (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) Was that because he didn't pray correctly? Paul prayed for other people to be healed, and they were, so surely he knew how to pray for healing. No, the reason Paul was not healed was that God's desire was to show His power, not through healing, but through illness. Paul wrote, "But (Jesus) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Cor. 12:9)


4. People who get healed have enough faith--and, conversely, if you aren't healed, you don't have enough faith.
Some people in the Bible were said to have had faith, and that faith made them well. (Luke 18:42) However, there were also people who were healed in response to the faith of others. (Mark 2:1-12) And yet another story involved a child who was eventually healed, but whose father admitted to Jesus that he needed help to believe that healing was even possible! (Mark 9:24) And finally, some faith-filled people like the Apostle Paul, were never healed of their sickness. Jesus is not hamstrung by the amount of faith we do, or do not, possess. And, He's not obligated to heal when people absolutely, positively know He can do it. I've read a little about that in books.


5. God loves the people who get healed. God is mad at, or somehow displeased with, the people who don't get healed. I don't think God was displeased with the Apostle Paul, so if you've prayed and you or your loved one is not healed, don't let Satan whisper in your ear that God doesn't love you, or is somehow not paying attention. The bottom line is that even people who DO get healed, eventually die. Our problem is that we think that our health or the health of our loved ones is the most important thing. As consuming as it may be, our health is secondary. Jesus, and His kingdom, is Primary.


So there you have it. I'd also recommend the book Miraculous Healing--Why Does God Heal Some and Not Others, by Henry Frost. It was written at the turn of the last century, and is a bit cumbersome to read--but he gives a thorough treatment of this question, and I came away from it encouraged to pray, and to leave the answers with God.


We prayed for Bill to be healed, and he was--here on earth. We prayed for Annie to be healed, and she was--in heaven. And having experienced both, I know God can be glorified through sickness just as effectively as through healing. We need to remember that God can take seemingly bad things to bring about His good--the good that is, admittedly, sometimes very hard to see. Sometimes, the "good" is simply that we experience in a daily, minute-by-minute way that His grace is sufficient, while anxiously looking forward to heaven where there will be no more sickness and no more pain!


Jean


He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away. Revelation 21:4

15 comments:

Rebecca said...

Jean,
I came over to your block today in the midst of procrastination during finals. Once again, your words will still with me. I am always afraid to pray for healing, and find myself praying that she just be at peace with herself and happy. I guess it keeps me from every questioning why the cure hasn't fallen into our laps. But lately, it is enough for me to just pray to God to say thank you for giving her to me.

Thank you for being so open and sharing your thoughts and discoveries with everyone. Now, back to finals...maybe.

-Rebecca

Gretchen said...

Going to suggest that my firstborn read this...

Glad that Bill burned his red cape. Prolly not his color. :)

BTW, I'm going to read Heaven is for Real this month and "discuss" w/ anyone who wants to on my blog at the end of the month, if your interested. Also, just bought "If God is Good..."

Jean said...

Rebecca--I also found it hard to continue to pray for Annie's healing, and began to be more directed toward, like you said, peace and her contentment. And what a good thing to just thank God for giving her to you. These little girls are precious little gifts from Him. I miss seeing Caitlyn, and talking to Annie about her friend at school. :(

Gretchen--I would like to join in that discussion. And, my friend, Sue, said she'd join in a discussion about Heaven. I'll watch how you do yours first, though, so I can see how to conduct a book club online. Then we can do "If God is Good..."

Gretchen said...

Jean, perfect! I don't think I know how to conduct one online. I think I'm just doing it. ;) But it's nice to know that others are joining in. If we're all local (and at this point, we are,) we can book club it at the Cow, if you'd like. :)

Wow. Gotta love my grammar in the above paragraph.

pam said...

Jean/Gretch - count me in. Not sure I can "club it at the Cow" as SOME of us have to go to work on occasion...but would love to try!

Marilyn said...

Great post, Jean! Thanks for sharing. Wish I could join you girls.

P.S. I think you meant Henry Frost, though, not Henry Cloud. :)

Gretchen said...

Pam, who says the Cow doesn't serve wine, after work? ;O)

Susan said...

I have prayed fervently for God to heal a family member and totally expected a miracle, right up until their death. Not the right place to be when things don't turn out the way I'd like. The result is anger at God, a deep depression and a sense of defeat. How easy it is to forget that God is sovereign and His will WILL be done. Thank you so much for this post.

And let me know when you may start the book club.

Love you,
Susan

Jean said...

Susan--your prayers were heard. And, though it wasn't what you wanted, they were answered! Heaven is not a bad alternative to more days hanging out here on earth.

Thanks for sharing, and let me work on that book club. You want to start with Heaven? Gretchen is working on "Heaven is for Real," on her blog. We can do both at the same time, huh? Why don't we read the first chapter of Heaven, by Randy Alcorn, and I'll open a discussion next week. Okay?

Love you,

Jean

Susan said...

Yes, that is so true!

I'll get my hands on the Alcorn book and you start the discussion whenever you wish. xo

Lana from Finding Lana said...

Jean, this is a beautiful post. Thank you - sometimes I need to be reminded of these things you've put so poignantly together.

Personally, I've found that some people, in their earthly vanity, want to believe that they have something to do with their "healing." As if it is proof of their spiritual power. Then, others like to use the example of another person not being healed because they are doing something wrong -- these people love to pass judgment because it makes them feel immune to the issue "well, that sick person did something to cause it and I won't ever be that kind of person"...I always think of Job, a good man with very awful, holy-vain friends, Job was simply under the attack of Satan. We live in Satan's realm. And, we all must eventually leave these earthly bodies after SOMETHING breaks down or goes wrong or stops working. Heavenly healing waits.

More importantly, I feel as if a person's "imperfections" here on earth may be beautiful in the eyes of the Lord. Our imperfections may not suit this world, but they make us unique and give our life story more meaning with MORE spiritual connection than if we had experienced so-called abled-body living. My mother was a semi-hemi-plegic and I often thought she was so beautiful and so perfect and "WHOLE" even with body parts, external and internal, that didn't work the way we expect them to. We have stipulations for how we think we are supposed to look and act, but God sees more of us than our little, puny eyes can see and THANK THE LORD that He does...Annie had tremendous difficulties on earth, in contrast, other people may only wear glasses every day, but that doesn't mean God loves them more or less for not healing their own imperfections. Others may have skin blemishes or a crooked nose, but God loves them...if he doesn't "heal" these imperfections, then is God unloving? Our perspective is what I find to be blowing in the wind. God's love is always consistent, full, beautiful, perfect and never ending. It is infinite, whether we have crooked teeth or a severed spinal cord, He loves us as we are and healing is not conditional with his love. Thank God for love and acceptance, or we'd all be in line to be "fixed" on some level.

Anonymous said...

Jean, I am traveling all over this world, ministering and praying with people that do not believe that God is a healing God, and some think, they just are not worthy of his plan of wellness. What do you tell people that only have weeks to live? Most, you can not convince them, God really does love them. Most will say, God is teaching me something, or do not want to admit that smoking cigs for 30 years has been bad for them. I have seen blind people open their eyes and see for the first time, because they were convinced and super naturally received healing from Jesus. Why them and not me? That answer only God knows. It is his will for everyone to chose heaven as their eternal home, and I lovingly trust and know that it is Gods will for everyone to be healed, because He loves us just the way we are, and He loved us first, broken, busted and without a Savior. You and I will never know what is deep down in a persons heart. A persons destiny is between them and God. That doesn't mean that I will stop praying or telling people how much he loves them. Thanks for opening the door for some good truth from our maker. Blessings. Pastor B.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Praise Yeshua Jesus for healing PSP in Bill! My beloved sister was just diagnossd this week (we got 3 opinions, incuding 1 from The Cleveland Clinic) with what they're calling Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. I simply won't receive it and neither is my sister as we are holding my Father to His word, Psalm 30 & 60, which He gave to her very early one morning before we knew what was really going on with her. Before we even knew the name of this death monster trying to snuff out her life, our Messiah, thru The Holy Spirit of The Most High, told her He would heal her. I have been searching for testimonies of healing and rescue from this horrendous killer and found your bolg! Thank you for glorifying The Most High with your testimony. This is only something He can rescue her from, indeed. No one gets the glory but Him!!! Please pray for Jane, my sister, and remind our Messiah of His word in Psalm 30 & 60.

Blessing to you,

Sis. Schuyler 12/19/2015

Anonymous said...

I have to make a correction: Psalm 30 & 70, not 60.

Jean said...

Thanks so much for sharing your story--I'm so sorry to hear of your sister, Jane's, diagnosis, but you are right that we can pray for complete healing. I will pray for Jane, and for you, as you support her through this. I don't know what the Lord's will is for her--we can glorify God both in sickness and in healing--but He does, and we can trust Him no matter what. He is able.

Blessings,

Jean