Silas
Beloved of All
The fight has been long and heavy, and I hear the weariness in your words. Three years of doing battle with a very heavy ### is enough to drain anyone’s strength, and now facing the suspicion that it has spread to the ### only adds to the weight. Yet you’ve fixed your hope in the right place: our weapons are not carnal but divine. That is the language of faith, and faith is what pleases God.
When the enemy throws discouragement at us, whether in the form of a diagnosis or sheer exhaustion, remember this: the just shall live by faith. We were never called to win our battles by the strength of our own resolve. God accounts us righteous through our trust in Jesus Christ alone. That trust is a gift, and it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
And yet, having genuine faith does not mean we will never know defeat, suffering, or even seasons where the miracle we long for seems delayed. The Scriptures show us men and women of great faith who died without receiving the full promise. Some were tortured, afflicted, others hid in caves. Their faith did not fail; God had something better in view. This is not to say that healing is not His will, Jesus healed multitudes, and the prayer of faith will save the sick, but it is to say that faith does not always guarantee an easy path. It guarantees that God walks it with us and that the ultimate victory is already won.
I understand why she would want to set aside medications that bring worse symptoms. That is not a rejection of common sense; sometimes it is an expression of leaning entirely on the Lord. Still, I would gently encourage you both to test that impulse before God. Medicine can be a tool in His hand just as much as a touch of healing. The issue is never the outward means but where our trust is anchored. If her faith is leading her to trust God without the medicine, then let it be a settled, peaceful conviction, not a fearful flight. True faith will produce actions that align with that trust, but the trust itself is what God honors.
What you need right now is for faith to be activated, to move from a passive “God can do it” to a bold “God is doing it now.” In the Gospels, Jesus often prompted people to act on their faith: they touched the hem of His garment, they answered His question, and He said, “Your faith has made you whole.” There is a role for us in reaching out. I encourage you to gather together with those who will pray, anoint with oil, lay on hands, and use that as a point of release, a moment where you say, “Lord, I receive Your healing now.” We do not put our faith in the ritual, but in the risen Christ who hears our cry.
But even as you do that, guard your heart from becoming fixed on the power of the sickness. I have been awed before by how quickly ### can sap a vibrant life. Yet in a moment, the Lord can turn our eyes to see that He who created all things is greater than any cluster of ###. Our weapons are divine, mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Let that truth fill your mind: the power that spoke the universe into existence is the same power that holds your loved one in His hands.
So stand on the promises, but don’t think that a lapse in confidence means you’ve lost the fight. Even the greatest men of faith had moments of fear and confusion. God’s faithfulness is not measured by our ability to feel strong. It is measured by the Cross and the empty tomb. Trust Jesus, look to Him, and let your faith be mixed with His rest.
I am praying with you that the Lord will rebuke this sickness and grant a mighty testimony of His mercy. May you know His peace that passes understanding, and may your faith, tried as it is, be found to the praise, honor, and glory of Christ.
When the enemy throws discouragement at us, whether in the form of a diagnosis or sheer exhaustion, remember this: the just shall live by faith. We were never called to win our battles by the strength of our own resolve. God accounts us righteous through our trust in Jesus Christ alone. That trust is a gift, and it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
And yet, having genuine faith does not mean we will never know defeat, suffering, or even seasons where the miracle we long for seems delayed. The Scriptures show us men and women of great faith who died without receiving the full promise. Some were tortured, afflicted, others hid in caves. Their faith did not fail; God had something better in view. This is not to say that healing is not His will, Jesus healed multitudes, and the prayer of faith will save the sick, but it is to say that faith does not always guarantee an easy path. It guarantees that God walks it with us and that the ultimate victory is already won.
I understand why she would want to set aside medications that bring worse symptoms. That is not a rejection of common sense; sometimes it is an expression of leaning entirely on the Lord. Still, I would gently encourage you both to test that impulse before God. Medicine can be a tool in His hand just as much as a touch of healing. The issue is never the outward means but where our trust is anchored. If her faith is leading her to trust God without the medicine, then let it be a settled, peaceful conviction, not a fearful flight. True faith will produce actions that align with that trust, but the trust itself is what God honors.
What you need right now is for faith to be activated, to move from a passive “God can do it” to a bold “God is doing it now.” In the Gospels, Jesus often prompted people to act on their faith: they touched the hem of His garment, they answered His question, and He said, “Your faith has made you whole.” There is a role for us in reaching out. I encourage you to gather together with those who will pray, anoint with oil, lay on hands, and use that as a point of release, a moment where you say, “Lord, I receive Your healing now.” We do not put our faith in the ritual, but in the risen Christ who hears our cry.
But even as you do that, guard your heart from becoming fixed on the power of the sickness. I have been awed before by how quickly ### can sap a vibrant life. Yet in a moment, the Lord can turn our eyes to see that He who created all things is greater than any cluster of ###. Our weapons are divine, mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. Let that truth fill your mind: the power that spoke the universe into existence is the same power that holds your loved one in His hands.
So stand on the promises, but don’t think that a lapse in confidence means you’ve lost the fight. Even the greatest men of faith had moments of fear and confusion. God’s faithfulness is not measured by our ability to feel strong. It is measured by the Cross and the empty tomb. Trust Jesus, look to Him, and let your faith be mixed with His rest.
I am praying with you that the Lord will rebuke this sickness and grant a mighty testimony of His mercy. May you know His peace that passes understanding, and may your faith, tried as it is, be found to the praise, honor, and glory of Christ.
