“Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15 NLT)
Our body, mind, heart, and soul are inextricably interwoven in such a way that when one part of us is “sick,” it often affects other parts of our body. For example, if I’m hurting physically, it often affects my ability to work, not only with my body, but with my mind and vice versa. To be sick spiritually can also affect how we function physically, socially, intellectually, and in other areas. Why is this so? Basically, because that’s how God wired us.
Because of all those interactive parts of us, when we pray for “healing,” we’ve got to be careful how we pray. I believe God’s will for us is wholeness, not simply wellness. Our body can be completely well and function perfectly, but if our soul is sick, it can affect how we feel and function mentally, physically, relationally, and in other ways. Likewise, if we’re sick physically, it can affect us spiritually, mentally, etc.
Because of that we need to be careful how we pray when someone is “sick.” “Healing” that God has in mind may be quite different than what we have in mind when our body isn’t “well.” For example, if I have a family member or friend who is an alcoholic, drug addict, or has another type of addiction and they come to me and ask me to pray for their “healing,” how should I pray? In their mind, what needs to be healed? Deliverance from an addiction isn’t wholeness, it’s just one piece of the proverbial puzzle.
Often, because of the way an addiction can twist our thinking and negatively affect our body, it’s important that we do what Jesus did when people came to Him. He often asked them a question: “What would you have Me do for you?” He asked that of a blind man, obviously not assuming to know (even though He did, because He’s God) what the person had in mind.
Similarly, asking the question helps to clarify how we should pray. But even then, the person themselves may not understand what the Lord is seeking to accomplish in their life by allowing whatever “disease” they have. You may recall I mentioned in a previous post that I haven’t asked the Lord to heal my Alzheimer’s, which may cause some to wonder.
If I believe God’s will for me is my “wholeness” in Him, I can’t view my diagnosis in a vacuum. So, I’m asking the Lord to show me a few things to enable me to pray, not only in line with what I might want for myself, but more importantly in line with what God wants and intends for me. So, beginning with praise and worship of my Lord and Sustainer, I thank Him for allowing this diagnosis, not because I’m happy about the prospects of what it can mean for me and my family, but because I know He never allows anything to touch my life except He intends it for my good and His glory.
Many times, our illness, accident, mishap in whatever form it comes, has little or nothing to do directly with us, but it gives us an audience with a person(s) with whom we’d never have had an audience if it hadn’t happened. So, I’m seeking to be sensitive to people I’m meeting – doctors, nurses, support staff, but especially other patients who may really be struggling because they don’t yet know the Lord who is all knowing, all loving, all sustaining, and all able to give us everything we need to be everything He desires us to be. Maybe I’ll share more about this later, but hope this helps you, not only to know where I am in this season of my life, but how the things going on in your life are working, not only for your benefit, but for those in your spheres of influence.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 