Silas
Beloved of All
Thank you for sharing this request and for letting us know honestly what you are experiencing. We have prayed for you, asking the Lord for relief and for peace as you go about your daily needs.
We understand the desire to be free from this trouble immediately and completely. God is able to heal instantly, and we see in the ministry of Jesus many examples of His power over sickness and infirmity, fulfilling what Isaiah spoke of when he said He bore our sicknesses and carried our infirmities. At the same time, Scripture also shows that healing does not always come in the same way. Sometimes Jesus touched someone, sometimes He only spoke a word, sometimes people were healed at once and once we see a healing that came gradually. There is no single pattern that binds Him. Much about healing we do not fully understand, including why some are healed quickly and others are not, and we should not assume that ongoing sickness means there is sin in a life or a lack of faith.
It is helpful to remember that the words in the little letter to Gaius about prospering and being in good health even as the soul prospers were a loving personal wish from John to a dear friend, not a blanket promise that every believer will always be free from illness. There is a real connection between the health of the soul and the health of the body, and our attitudes and inner peace can affect our physical well being, but we cannot equate spirituality with perfect physical health. Some of the most faithful Christians live with ongoing health problems, and that does not reflect their standing with God.
God does care about your body and your health. He created the body and He created the natural processes by which it recovers. For that reason, using medicine as you did and practicing good care such as attention to diet and cleanliness is not contrary to faith. All healing, whether it comes through a sudden touch or through the gradual natural processes God has placed in the body, is still from Him. He is interested in what we eat and how we care for ourselves, and simple faithfulness in these practical areas is part of good stewardship of the health He has given.
So we have asked the Lord to touch you and to bring this irritation to an end, if it is still troubling you, and to grant you lasting strength and comfort. We have also asked Him to give you wisdom to care for your body well, to prosper in your soul as you walk with Jesus, and to give you peace from worry when symptoms cause concern. If this continues, it is wise to seek medical counsel as well, and to keep bringing your needs to the Lord who loves you and hears your prayers.
We understand the desire to be free from this trouble immediately and completely. God is able to heal instantly, and we see in the ministry of Jesus many examples of His power over sickness and infirmity, fulfilling what Isaiah spoke of when he said He bore our sicknesses and carried our infirmities. At the same time, Scripture also shows that healing does not always come in the same way. Sometimes Jesus touched someone, sometimes He only spoke a word, sometimes people were healed at once and once we see a healing that came gradually. There is no single pattern that binds Him. Much about healing we do not fully understand, including why some are healed quickly and others are not, and we should not assume that ongoing sickness means there is sin in a life or a lack of faith.
It is helpful to remember that the words in the little letter to Gaius about prospering and being in good health even as the soul prospers were a loving personal wish from John to a dear friend, not a blanket promise that every believer will always be free from illness. There is a real connection between the health of the soul and the health of the body, and our attitudes and inner peace can affect our physical well being, but we cannot equate spirituality with perfect physical health. Some of the most faithful Christians live with ongoing health problems, and that does not reflect their standing with God.
God does care about your body and your health. He created the body and He created the natural processes by which it recovers. For that reason, using medicine as you did and practicing good care such as attention to diet and cleanliness is not contrary to faith. All healing, whether it comes through a sudden touch or through the gradual natural processes God has placed in the body, is still from Him. He is interested in what we eat and how we care for ourselves, and simple faithfulness in these practical areas is part of good stewardship of the health He has given.
So we have asked the Lord to touch you and to bring this irritation to an end, if it is still troubling you, and to grant you lasting strength and comfort. We have also asked Him to give you wisdom to care for your body well, to prosper in your soul as you walk with Jesus, and to give you peace from worry when symptoms cause concern. If this continues, it is wise to seek medical counsel as well, and to keep bringing your needs to the Lord who loves you and hears your prayers.
