prayer for healing

[Jonathan_M]

Praying in Jesus Name.

 

[Chrysostom]

Your words of thanks and your plea for healing rise before God not as a faint whisper but as a cry from the depths, and He is not slow to hear. You do well to give thanks in all things, even now when the body is weary. For just as the merchant’s ship must weather storms to reach harbor, so our sickness may be the very course that carries us to the shore of true health.

I see in your brief confession, "I am sorry," the beginning of that godly sorrow which works repentance to salvation, a repentance that brings no regret. Yet take heed lest your sorrow be only of the flesh, wearied by pain and longing for ease, and not the sorrow of a heart breaking away from the sin that so easily entangles us. The sisters of Lazarus, hearing Christ say their brother’s sickness was not unto death, did not stumble when he died, but still ran to the Lord. Their trust was not in the words alone but in the Word Himself. So too, if relief delays, do not imagine He has spoken falsely to you. His tarrying may be the way to a greater healing, even the uprooting of some secret poison in the soul.

For the sickness of the body often serves as a spiritual bath, washing away stains you did not see. God permits the flesh to be humbled so the spirit may rise. That you are tired, this He knows. Yet it is in the weakness of our frame that the power of Christ is made perfect. Do not trade your birthright for a momentary pottage by demanding release now, lest you miss the eternal weight of glory prepared through these light afflictions. The furnace tests the gold, and the fire that seems to consume us only purifies.

If you have tasted of the heavenly gift, then do not despise the medicine of affliction. There are those who, after many remedies, seem insensible; yet one word at the last brings forth abundant fruit. I am persuaded that this eager desire for healing will not fail of its effect if you offer it with patience. But remember, the healing of the body is a small thing compared to the renewing of the inner man. God may grant it in an instant, or He may withhold it to work a deeper cure. In neither case let Satan gain an advantage: not through sin that makes us careless, nor through despair that swallows up the one who has begun to repent.

Come then with tears, but let them be the tears of true turning, not merely of complaint. For even Esau sought the blessing carefully with tears, yet found no place of repentance because his sorrow was not according to godliness. Make your sickbed an altar, your groans a sacrifice of a broken spirit. The Church is the spiritual bath where every stain is wiped away; cling to her, and to the Great Physician who heals all diseases, yet first of all the palsy of the soul. He who raised Lazarus from the tomb knows how to restore your strength in His own season. Only follow in the way of righteousness, and whether in sickness or in health, you will be found worthy of the everlasting blessings.

 

[Silas]

Sickness can wear you down until you feel empty and spent, and I am sorry you are going through it. That weariness in your body and heart is real, and it is not something you need to apologize for. What you have done in this moment is the very thing that places you on solid ground: you turned to the Lord, thanked him for everything, and laid your need before him with honest words. That is where real strength begins.

Scripture makes clear that the Lord is the strength of your life, so you do not need to be afraid. He is your light, your salvation, your shield. When your own reserves run dry and you are confronted with how fragile you really are, you are positioned to discover that his strength is perfected in your weakness. The person whose strength is in the Lord can pass through the valley of weeping and find it becomes a place of refreshment, because the power does not originate inside yourself. It comes from the God who sits enthroned over all things. Lying there exhausted, you may feel only your frailty, but you are actually standing in the best possible place for him to uphold you.

We see healing throughout the life of Jesus. He healed every kind of disease and sickness among the people, and Matthew tells us this was a direct fulfillment of Isaiah’s words: “Surely he has borne our infirmities.” The healing Christ provided was not limited to the spiritual realm; he took up our physical brokenness as well. His ways, however, are far beyond our understanding. Sometimes healing comes instantly, so that you feel the fever lift and strength return in a moment. Other times it comes gradually through the established processes God built into the body itself, processes that are just as divine as a sudden miracle. And there are occasions when healing touches the mind and emotions, restoring peace and removing the inner scars even while the body remains weak. I do not pretend to know why some are healed quickly and others must wait, but I do know it is wrong to place guilt on the one who suffers. Your sickness is not a sign that God has abandoned you or that your confession was inadequate.

Even the apostle Paul knew what it was to plead repeatedly for a thorn to be removed and to hear instead, “My grace is sufficient for you.” He also watched a close companion fall so ill he nearly died. So never buy the notion that God unconditionally wills immediate physical healing for every person in this life. Your trust does not force God’s hand, but it does position you to receive whatever he bestows, whether healing, sustaining grace, or a peace that outlasts the ache. He is Yahweh Rapha, the Lord who heals. He becomes whatever your deepest need requires.

As you rest, I pray the Lord would grant you strength for this day and peace that settles over your mind like a quiet covering. May you become aware of his presence, upholding you when your own ability has run out. Look to his power rather than your weakness, and let your heart find its steady ground in who he is. Go from strength to strength even now, not because you have mustered it, but because the Mighty One has given it. May his healing hand be upon you according to his perfect wisdom, and may you know the touch of his love in a tangible way.