Silas
Beloved of All
Your heartfelt cry for relief from this swelling has been heard, and I join you in bringing it before the Lord. He sees the discomfort and weariness that comes with an ongoing physical affliction, and He cares about your body as well as your soul.
Scripture shows us that Jesus had compassion on those who were sick and that He exercised real power over the physical realm. Matthew, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, points back to Isaiah and tells us that Christ took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. That is why the prophecy is understood to speak not only of forgiveness for sin but also of healing for the body, and why when we remember the Lord at His table the bread reminds us that His body was broken for us. God is able to heal, and healing is still for today.
At the same time the Bible is honest that healing does not come in every case in the way we ask or when we ask. Paul prayed three times for the thorn in his flesh to be removed, and the Lord did not remove it. Paul was a man through whom God worked many miracles, yet his close companion Timothy suffered from frequent ailments, and Paul encouraged him to use a simple physical remedy for his stomach. That was not a lack of prayer and it was not a lack of faith. There are times when God has purposes we cannot understand, and His not granting immediate healing is not a sign that He has rejected you or that something is wrong with your faith.
Healing itself comes in different ways. Sometimes Jesus healed instantly with a word or a touch. At other times healing was gradual. Every process of healing in the body is still from God, because He is the one who created the body and built restoration into it. To use the wisdom and help that doctors can provide, to care for cleanliness and health, and to follow sound counsel is not unspiritual. It can be part of the way God brings relief. There is also a close connection between the health of the soul and the health of the body. John wrote to Gaius that he wished him to be in good health even as his soul was prospering. That was a loving wish, not a blanket promise that everyone will be well if they claim it, but it does remind us that a heart at peace with God, a merry heart that trusts Him, is like good medicine and affects the whole person.
Please do not be discouraged by those who make a show of healing or promise guaranteed results. There is much that is not genuine in such displays. Real healing does not need hype or pressure. It comes from the quiet mercy of God, whether it comes in a moment or through a process over time, whether it touches the body, the mind, or the emotions.
So continue to ask Him honestly, as you have done. It is right to pray for this swelling to be cured completely. It is also right to trust His wisdom and love if the answer comes differently or more slowly than you hope. Keep your soul prospering by staying near Jesus, confessing sin, receiving His forgiveness, and resting in the hope that whether we are well or unwell now, to be alive to God is the deepest healing. One day all infirmity will be gone for those who are in Christ.
I pray with you now. Father, in the name of Jesus, I bring this dear one to You who has asked for deliverance from swelling. You know this body, You formed it, and You bore our sicknesses on the cross. I ask that You would touch this swelling and bring lasting relief according to Your perfect will. If it pleases You, grant a complete and enduring cure. If healing comes through gradual means, guide the hands of those who give care and give wisdom for every step. Heal also the weariness and anxiety that long affliction brings, and let Your peace guard heart and mind. Above all, let this life know the joy of being spiritually alive in You through Jesus Christ. Amen.
Scripture shows us that Jesus had compassion on those who were sick and that He exercised real power over the physical realm. Matthew, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, points back to Isaiah and tells us that Christ took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses. That is why the prophecy is understood to speak not only of forgiveness for sin but also of healing for the body, and why when we remember the Lord at His table the bread reminds us that His body was broken for us. God is able to heal, and healing is still for today.
At the same time the Bible is honest that healing does not come in every case in the way we ask or when we ask. Paul prayed three times for the thorn in his flesh to be removed, and the Lord did not remove it. Paul was a man through whom God worked many miracles, yet his close companion Timothy suffered from frequent ailments, and Paul encouraged him to use a simple physical remedy for his stomach. That was not a lack of prayer and it was not a lack of faith. There are times when God has purposes we cannot understand, and His not granting immediate healing is not a sign that He has rejected you or that something is wrong with your faith.
Healing itself comes in different ways. Sometimes Jesus healed instantly with a word or a touch. At other times healing was gradual. Every process of healing in the body is still from God, because He is the one who created the body and built restoration into it. To use the wisdom and help that doctors can provide, to care for cleanliness and health, and to follow sound counsel is not unspiritual. It can be part of the way God brings relief. There is also a close connection between the health of the soul and the health of the body. John wrote to Gaius that he wished him to be in good health even as his soul was prospering. That was a loving wish, not a blanket promise that everyone will be well if they claim it, but it does remind us that a heart at peace with God, a merry heart that trusts Him, is like good medicine and affects the whole person.
Please do not be discouraged by those who make a show of healing or promise guaranteed results. There is much that is not genuine in such displays. Real healing does not need hype or pressure. It comes from the quiet mercy of God, whether it comes in a moment or through a process over time, whether it touches the body, the mind, or the emotions.
So continue to ask Him honestly, as you have done. It is right to pray for this swelling to be cured completely. It is also right to trust His wisdom and love if the answer comes differently or more slowly than you hope. Keep your soul prospering by staying near Jesus, confessing sin, receiving His forgiveness, and resting in the hope that whether we are well or unwell now, to be alive to God is the deepest healing. One day all infirmity will be gone for those who are in Christ.
I pray with you now. Father, in the name of Jesus, I bring this dear one to You who has asked for deliverance from swelling. You know this body, You formed it, and You bore our sicknesses on the cross. I ask that You would touch this swelling and bring lasting relief according to Your perfect will. If it pleases You, grant a complete and enduring cure. If healing comes through gradual means, guide the hands of those who give care and give wisdom for every step. Heal also the weariness and anxiety that long affliction brings, and let Your peace guard heart and mind. Above all, let this life know the joy of being spiritually alive in You through Jesus Christ. Amen.
