Not healed? | The Salvation Army

You are here

Not healed?

Posted September 26, 2014

Read this edition online

 

Editorial

We have a wonderful story of hope and healing in this edition —of the undeniable power of God at work in the life of a young woman, Jess Bishop. It’s a reminder that God heals today, just as he did in the time of Jesus.

Perhaps, like Jess, you can testify to a supernatural incident of healing in your life. That’s great! But all of us would also have had times when we’ve prayed for healing—for ourselves or others—and God has answered with a ‘no’. Healing hasn’t come, and in some cases, prolonged illness and perhaps death has been the outcome instead.

It’s hard, isn’t it, to know that God heals some but not all? I don’t pretend to have a simple explanation, some things we won’t understand this side of Heaven. I know that sickness and suffering was not God’s intent for this world, and I also know it won’t exist in the world to come. Revelation 21:4 (NLT) promises of Heaven: He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.

But in this life, we know that there will be sickness. There will be tears.

Some years ago, I met a young man with a chronic and debilitating health condition. He told me he’d been to lots of churches where people kept wanting to pray that he’d be healed. Th is made him uncomfortable. His observation was that while some of these people felt bad for him, others perhaps felt anxious for themselves. He wondered if having someone ‘sick’ around made them doubt God’s compassion and power. He laughingly said he was going to write a book titled Not Healed! because he wanted to assure people he had no such doubts in God just because his own reality was one of ongoing illness.

My experience is that while the church is sometimes a place of miracles, it’s also a place where we hang in there with one another when miracles don’t come. So, whatever your path might be, know that God is walking it with you, and may you find a church community where you find the support you need.

Christina Tyson
Editor

BIBLE VERSE

1 Timothy 2:1-2 The Message
‘The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation.’

Nga Whakatauki 27:17
‘… mo nga kingi, mo te hunga whai mana katoa hoki: kia ata noho marie ai tatou i runga i ngawhakaaro karakia, i nga tikanga mahara katoa.’