I am convinced the Holy Spirit leads us what to pray when we seek Him.
Romans 8:26-27
Our Victory in Christ
"26 Now in the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God."
I trust this often because often I do not know how to pray.
So often believers think it is automatic that we pray for healing for people who are ill. I am not convinced that God wants every person who is ill to be healed.
Paul had a thorn in the flesh, after praying three times he stopped praying about it and accepted it. He knew it was God's way of keeping him humble.
God allows illness for many reasons in our lives, we don't always know the reasons but we can trust Him. Some reasons might be to reward the faithful believer by taking them home where they will never be ill again.
Another reason might be that a believer is speaking in error, spreading false teachings that deceive people. God will take them home to stop the false teaching.
It might be too that God allows illness to force us to turn more fully to Him, strengthening our faith as we endure while remaining joyful and peaceful in spite of our troubles, this is a witness to the world of our love for Christ.
There are many reasons the Lord allows illness and often He does not heal, or He uses doctors to aid in the healing that we might be a witness to the doctors and nurses around us.
It is simplistic to think that God wants everyone to be healed. This mentality is based on a couple of scriptures taken out of context to claim God does not want us to be ill. If that were true every faithful born again believer would still be alive.
2 Corinthians 11:21-31
"21 To my shame I must say that we have been weak by comparison.
But in whatever respect anyone else is bold—I am speaking in foolishness—I too am bold.
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.
23 Are they servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.
24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift at sea.
26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers;
27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.
29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
30 If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness.
31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying."
Our greatest witness to the unbeliever in our illnesses is not that we are healed but that we endure faithful to God in spite of them.
Healing from illness is wonderful when it is God Who has done it, however it takes greater faith to endure the hardship and illness remaining faithful to God than it does not be healed. Enduring over a long period of time builds faith. The greater healing is the healing of our soul as we depend on Christ to go through with us.
I can see more harm than good happening to the modern Christian pressure for people to seek healing when they assert that someone lacked faith when they are not healed.
I see people losing their faith and becoming discouraged because they were not healed.
The greater faith is built upon and strengthened when we know Christ goes through with us as we endure the pain and rejection. He then is glorified.
I say it this way because all too often I see people being praised for their faith when they are healed than I see Christ being glorified.
Those who always seek physical healing rarely see God's purposes in the hardships of life. They are constantly focused on getting out of the trouble rather than going through will gladness and joy accepting God's will. Rather, they fight against His will by demanding they be healed physically and becoming discouraged when they don't get their own way.
Can we glorify God in the blessing of illness as much as we would glorify Him if we were healed? Our soul is far more important than our bodies.
Can our soul endure the pain of this earthly body and remain focused on Christ, praising Him in the middle of hardship? I have my doubts about so many people who whine and complain about all that is going on in the world that barely affects their personal lives, how could they ever endure personal illness and difficulties remaining joyful, peaceful and encouraging to others when there is an attitude of complaining about minor inconveniences?
Something to think about!!!!
