Jesse Medina

When we read through the Biblical narrative we find Jesus busy at work doing all sorts of things and one of the things that we find him doing then, that he doesn’t seem to be doing much of now, is healing. Actually, that’s somewhat of a simplified statement. Often, those who travel to other cultures, particularly primitive or third-world areas, they see God do amazing miracles.

So why isn’t Jesus healing anyone here in America?

Is it because we don’t have genuine faith? Is it because we have the accessibility of doctors and don’t need Jesus? Perhaps it is just because Jesus doesn’t like America?

More personally…why doesn’t God heal you? Why doesn’t he heal me?

Whether it be a sin-issue, past hurt, or a physical ailment, chances are there is something you need to be healed of. If not, congratulations…you’ve officially managed to make the rest of us hate you, but hey, at least God likes you, right?

Seriously, though, for many reading this right now, we can name exactly what it is that we struggle with, the thorn in our side that simply isn’t being healed despite the fact that we’ve asked God on many occasions to heal us. And its not just little things like an ingrown toenail (although, dude, those things freaking hurt!). Often times, these things have caused a great deal of pain. Some of us may have had our families broken up over our secret struggle with a particular sin. Others of us struggle on a daily basis with the depression that finds its root in our genes even though we do all we know to serve and grow closer to God. Sometimes find ourselves completely unable to recover from an event that happened years ago despite the fact that we’ve gone to counseling, had people lay their hands on us and pray.

So what’s he waiting for?

Some would say faith.

Personally, I’d like to punch those people in the face and challenge them to faith away their broken nose.  We need to make something clear: faith is not magic.  Faith doesn’t force God’s hand.  Faith is not a formula for getting what we want.

Some would say nothing.

You’re already healed, you just need to name it and claim it. Live like you’re healed and you will be healed. Riiiiight…because imagining and living like I’m not unexplainably depressed means all those feelings just go away? Or going around holding my belly like I’m pregnant will make me so (of course, in this one, I’m playing the part of the woman who can’t get pregnant)? Sorry, but I have a hard time taking seriously the notion that our healing is dependant on our words or imaginations.

Some would say you.

He’s waiting for you to get it together. He’s waiting for you to start behaving better. He’s waiting for you to be more obedient, to read your Bible more, pray more, go to church more, give more. The only problem is that he never waited for these things in the Bible and it will inevitably cause us to earn a love that is supposedly unconditional.

What would I say? I don’t know.

I wish I did. I wish I could tell right away what keeps God from healing my hurting friends and family, people I hear about and don’t know…or me. I know this: God loves you. I believe he wants to heal you. I believe it pains him to see you hurting. I believe someday, somehow he will…or he’ll show you how your ailment is actually a gift and teach you how to embrace it.  And that’s a hard lesson to learn, I would imagine.  But imagine how freeing it would be.  Imagine the fulfillment that comes from learning that your pain somehow helps or inspires others.

More than that, I believe that even while you wait for a healing – and you should wait, you should hope -  God can teach you through it and use it to grow you. Not that God causes us to experience pain and heartache just so he can teach us something, but I think he chooses to use those things. Sometimes I even think that it is only be experiencing pain and heartache and confusion that we are able to learn truly priceless things about ourselves and God.  I don’t want to make God seem like a sicko or anything, but it is good news that he is more concerned about our character than our comfort.

Most of all, I believe Jesus hurts and fears and struggles right along with you and with me.

He knows not only pain and fear, but the hopelessness of feeling like God isn’t even there.  I even believe that there are times when it is simply too much for us to handle…and in those times, Jesus’ strength is what keeps us going.

And maybe that’s right up there with being healed.

If interested, I wrote an article a while back titled Praying Precariously wherein I suggest that we are often asking for the wrong things, despite the fact that these things may be good.  Check it out if you’re interested.

Filed under: Uncategorized Tagged: | Balance, Bible, God, Healing, Jesus, Love, Pain, Tension