Why do some get healed and some don't? If Jesus is our healer, why don't we all receive healing? If a healthy body is unnecessary to glorify God, why bother healing anyone?
Have you ever wondered why Jesus is called our healer when so many people remain suffering and sick for years? I have. I have prayed countless times to Jehova-Rapha, the God who heals, to heal my Mom, my mother-in-law, myself, and many others. They remain sick, and so do I.
Waiting for a solution in times of sickness, misery, or affliction tests our faith. Waiting for healing is where our faith is forged. Does it exist? If so, it will grow stronger. If it doesn't, we may need to see if we ever had it.
For several years, I've been frustrated by Jesus' healing stories in the Bible. Every healing account in the gospels is magnificent—truly a wonder to behold. I used to try to figure out if there was a perfect recipe that brought these individuals healing. In most stories, Jesus would magnify the faith of whoever was asking for healing, whether for themselves or someone else. So then I thought, maybe I need more faith to be healed. Well, how do I get more faith? Jesus said that faith the size of a mustard seed was enough to move a mountain. Surely my faith is the size of a mustard seed!
Jesus often told the people He healed to keep quiet about it. Initially, I was baffled by this command because we are called to share the good news about Jesus. I thought we were supposed to be salt and light and shine His light on a pedestal, not hide it under a bushel. As I continued to study the Bible and grow in the Lord, I realized that telling people to be quiet about His miracles was all about timing. Jesus didn't want the spotlight because He had work to do. So that started to make sense, but then another question arose.
Why do some get healed and some don't? If Jesus is our healer, why don't we all receive healing? If a healthy body is unnecessary to glorify God, why bother healing anyone? Lord, why did you heal anyone at all? What is the point of healing people of their physical afflictions? If I am supposed to thank God in all circumstances and think of others more than myself, what does being well matter? If we are called to live a humble life of sacrifice no matter the circumstance, then why should anyone be healed?
Jehova-Rapha
The first time God is ever called our healer is in Exodus 15:26: "He said, 'If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you'” (Exodus 15:26, NLT). God promises to protect the Israelites from diseases if they obey his commands. Why would He do that? My logical reasoning says it's because being sick sucks! No one wants to be unwell.
It would be easy to read this scripture and extrapolate that if I'm obeying God's commands, He will keep me healthy. But when I am obeying God's commands and I still get sick or am suffering affliction, what am I supposed to believe?
I believe God's physical healing in my life would be life-changing, but God has other ideas—why else would He not heal me? Does this make His scripture in Exodus 15:26 wrong? No, it means I need to study it more and ask God for wisdom, and He will give it. Why can I always expect Him to offer wisdom but not healing? This is where we need to dig deep.
Understanding Biblical Texts
There are promises from God that will always be true and promises for specific people at a specific time. The promise to protect the Israelites from disease was specific. I can determine this by applying the belief that all scripture is true and God-breathed. If God says He's a healer then I can trust that He's a healer even if I don't understand all the specifics. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NLT).
Jeremiah 3:22 speaks of healing. "'My wayward children,' says the LORD, 'come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.' 'Yes, we’re coming,' the people reply, 'for you are the LORD our God' (Jeremiah 3:22 NLT). This healing appears to be spiritual. Is this a scripture that we can apply to everyone across the board? My answer is yes because in this context God is speaking to His people who have gone astray. He promises if they come back to Him He will heal their hearts. I believe this to be a forever promise for two reasons. Reason number one, God desires every human to repent and return to Him. This has always been at the core of God's character. Two, God reveals this promise from Genesis to Revelation.
Comparing Exodus 15:26 to Jeremiah 3:22 helps me conclude that while God always has the power to heal us physically it doesn't mean He will; however, He will always heal the hearts of those who choose to return to Him.
Gospel Healings
In Mark 3:1-6 and Luke 6:6-11, we have the story of Jesus healing a man's withered hand. In Mark 5:25-34 and Luke 8:43-48, we have the story of Jesus healing the hemorrhaging woman. Why did Jesus heal these people? Were they more special than me? Did Jesus have more compassion for them than He does for us today?
In the healing story of the man’s withered hand, Jesus had accusers watching Him. A big motive for this healing was for Jesus to teach His enemies that their ways were evil and that even though they considered themselves men of God's law, they were mistaken.
"For she thought to herself, 'If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed'” (Mark 5:28, NLT). In my bones, I believe I have as much faith as this woman, and Jesus called her faith beautiful! He said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over” (Mark 5:34, NLT). Her suffering was over! The motive for healing in this story seems to be the importance of faith. Oh, how I've longed for my suffering to be over. I have applied my faith and know that if Jesus wanted to He could heal me right now, but He hasn't.
What can we glean from these healings and what can we know about God? From both healings, we know that Jesus has the power to heal. Each healing had more than one purpose and was His choice to heal. He was not coerced into healing anyone. The circumstances in these stories are not similar except that each story has a person who needs healing.
As much as I wish there were a formula for healing I know there is not.
References of Healing in the Epistles
"Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven" (James 5:14-15, NLT). Here's a scripture from the New Testament that makes it seem like if the church prays for you, you will be healed. You and I both know that this isn't always the case.
I'm sure you've been asked to pray for someone in your church, and I'm sure you have been prayed for by people in your church. In some of those prayers for healing, God has said yes, and you or the person you were praying for has been healed. In other experiences, I'm confident that healing wasn't the result. In times when healing has not come, I lean on God's sovereignty. When God's answer for healing is no, we must cling to what the Word says about Him: "God’s way is perfect. All the LORD’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection" (Psalms 18:30, NLT).
Of course, we can't forget about Isaiah 55:8-9, which says, "'My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,' says the LORD. 'And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts'" (NLT).
We must remember to read the Bible as a whole. We cannot pick and choose scriptures we are fond of and forget the rest. And when we are confused about what we are reading, we must keep searching His Word for deeper understanding so that we can remain in the faith and keep growing in truth. For instance, the end of Psalms 18:30 makes it seem like God will always protect us from harm, but we know that sometimes we must endure pain. Sometimes we are harmed. This is where the truth about God's timing comes into play.
God's timing is perfect and so are all of His ways (Ecclesiastes 3:1, Habakkuk 2:3). So when we don't receive the healing we think we should, we can trust that it's okay—even if it doesn't feel good.
Jesus, Jehova Rapha, is the healer of our souls. We may need to endure sickness and affliction in the flesh, but our souls are healthy and whole. Jesus is the only one with the power to heal our souls, and, if it's His will, our bodies too. In Christ, we are healed even when suffering in these bodies.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/PeteWill
Vanessa Luu is a wife, mother, and faith-based writer. She speaks and writes to believers to encourage them to live authentically with God.
