A few years back, I created a brief questionnaire. One of the most frequent questions that I received, was one I hear often from clients sitting across from me in my office or on the screen in a Zoom session. It takes many different forms:
- How long is this going to take?
- I’ve been doing ___ for years, why isn’t everything okay?
- I’ve been praying for my husband, wife, son, daughter, etc. for years, why aren’t they any better?
- My friend, family member, the guy on TV was healed instantly, why aren’t I?
There are other ways of phrasing it, but I think you get the point…
Why doesn’t it work like I want it to?
I totally understand the frustration and the hurt behind those questions. There are things in my own life that I’m still contending for even though there are others that I’ve seen complete victory in.
The short answer to those questions is, “I don’t know.” I don’t know that I’ve ever heard anyone who does any healing type ministry give an answer to that question that makes sense to me, or fits all of the people and circumstances that I’ve seen. And, those ministers that I respect the most, are very up-front and honest to say that they don’t know either.
There are reasons why healing might be delayed or blocked. Several, in fact. But which is true in your case? I don’t know. I wish I had a spiritual x-ray that would tell me exactly what needed to be fixed and how, but that’s yet to be invented. I’m not going to pretend to have all of the answers. I’m sorry if that disappoints you. However, I do know the One who does!
This is what I DO know for certain:
- God loves every single person, including you, and including those that you love.
- He is a good God, faithful and true.
- God’s desire is for EVERYONE to be free, whole, healed.
- The enemy is a liar.
- The enemy’s job description is to steal, kill, and destroy…and he’s good at it. He’s had lots of practice after all.
You can have Peace in the Process
I love hearing those dramatic testimonies of people who are set free and healed instantly. They are so exciting! But, I’ve found that those are the exception. Most people are healed through process. Jesus healed some instantly, it is true, but others had to walk out their healing. The ten lepers were healed as they were going (Luke 17). The blind man had to go and wash in the pool of Siloam before his sight was restored (Mark 9). It’s easy for us to read over those verses quickly and forget that it wasn’t a few seconds for those people. In fact, I’ve seen maps showing the location of where the blind man was in comparison to the pool of Siloam…it wasn’t a short distance, or an easy path.
So, healing can be a process, and there can be nothing else that needs to be done other than to continue on that path. I think that a lot of people give up because they get discouraged. Some give up because those that pray for them heap guilt and abuse on them for not having enough “faith”. Faith is important, but it isn’t THE thing that determined if Jesus healed someone. I sat down one time, and read through all of the gospels and made note of all of the healing that Jesus did and what it said about faith. Most of the time, faith is not mentioned at all. In some cases it can be inferred, but if it is mentioned it is often the faith of the person bringing the one to be healed to Jesus whose faith is commented on. But, that’s a whole other discussion.
Take courage, and be at peace that instant isn’t the only way that Jesus heals. I realize that’s not often what we want to hear. But, I find great comfort in knowing that God is leading me on the path to freedom and wholeness. I may not be “there” yet, but I am closer than I was last year or ten years ago, or even 5 minutes ago.
A New Perspective
If you are in this position, I encourage you to shift your focus. Don’t be in denial about what still needs to be healed, but watch for areas of improvement and progress. Celebrate each win. Rejoice with each step forward. That’s what God is doing over you. He is not counting how many times you fail or fall. He is watching to see how many times you get up!
This post is getting ridiculously long, and I’ve only touched on a small area. Clearly this subject is near and dear to my heart. So, I’m going to stop here in a minute and revisit this another time. But, I want to leave you with one final picture.
Have you ever watched a small child learn to walk? It’s a wobbly, rocky process isn’t it. They lurch uncontrollably and reach for furniture. They fall forwards, backwards, and from side to side. In fact, they are horrible at it in the beginning, aren’t they. But, what is mom and dad doing? Or any of the others in the room? Are they upset? Are they yelling at the baby because it’s not ready to run a marathon? No. No, they are not. They are cheering every attempt and every step. They are taking pictures like crazy and posting those pictures everywhere they can. And when she calls grandma, what does mom say? Does she say that baby fell 50,000 times today? No! She proudly tells grandma that baby took 2 steps.
That’s how God sees us. That’s what He’s doing over us in the heavens. He’s calling the angels over to come and see how much better we’re doing. They are all cheering every time we get up and try again. No one, but us, is counting our failures…because no one but us considers them to be failures. No, it’s just part of the process of learning how to become the person we were created to be. God doesn’t expect perfection from us. He doesn’t. That’s only a lie from the pit of hell meant to keep us from getting back up again.
If this is you, here’s a brief prayer that you can pray if you would like: Father, forgive me for buying into the lie of perfectionism. Forgive me for believing that I have to be perfect to be accepted. Forgive me for buying into the lie that instant healing is the only way that You approve of. I reject and renounce all of these lies. I cast them to the cross of Christ. I gather up any and all lying spirits, perfectionism spirits, spirits of hopelessness, discouragement, and despair and I cast them to the cross of Christ. I revoke all of their rights to me forever and place the blood of Jesus between all of that and me. I accept the truth that I am accepted just as I am. I accept the truth that God is working with me all the time and he is rejoicing when I succeed. I accept the truth that there is hope for healing and wholeness. I accept the truth that I can enjoy the journey. Holy Spirit, please give me your peace and help me to remember these truths. Help me to hear and believe what YOU say about me, and no other voice. I thank you, Father, for all you are going to do in and through me as I move forward with you. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
If you would like some help on your journey, you might be interested in a session with me.