I remember once when someone asked me how they could pray for me, and I replied, "I have Parkinson's Disease........ It gets in the way of my ministry...... I need healing." to which he replied, "I can't". He was saying that since he didn't know God's will concerning my health he couldn't pray for my healing in complete faith.
How could healing be wrong to pray for? After all, Scripture tells us: "Whatever you ask in my name, that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son" (John 14:13) and "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it" (John 14:14)
Scripture also tells us "You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." (James 4:3)
"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray." (James 5:13)
I think the Bible is telling us to take the burden of sickness that you bear to Him. You can ask for healing, but understand that He may not heal you right away, and maybe not while you live on this earth. Your priority in prayer must be His will, not yours.
Remember in the garden of Gethsemene, Jesus prayed, "Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will, but thine be done." (Luke 22:42)
The Bible tells us that Jesus - "being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground" (Luke 22:44)
We should take our concerns to God in prayer ("Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4:6,7)
And our attitude must be the same as Jesus (ready to accept the will of God).
I remember when in one of my lowest moments, I asked God to bring me home - to let me die. I simply couldn't bear the painful existence any more my life had become. He clearly (though not audibly) spoke to me in all tenderness, telling me that He knew I thought I had no purpose any longer, and that I was nothing but a problem to everyone around me. But the truth is that, though you cannot perceive it, you DO have purpose. I have never left you to go through this alone and I never will. I agonize with you in your pain. But can you trust me just a little longer?
God often does things in ways that seem to make no sense to us. It often seems to be the hard way. But listen for His question, "Can you trust me a little longer? I will accomplish my glorious will and I will fulfill your purpose in due time. Can you trust me a little longer?"
2 comments:
Thank you, Anna for words we need to hear. In our lightning-paced-Crackberry-instant gratification world, it’s easy to forget God is not governed by human-conceived time.
And regarding the “someone” at the beginning of your post, saying, “I can’t” because it might not be God’s will. This type of reasoning always makes me sad, because it’s so misguided. I think God gave us free “will” because he wanted to open a “dialogue” ( though, yes, not audible) between us as individuals and Him. Sure God knows the desires of our heart, but I believe he wants to hear us express those desires and our need for Him in our prayers.
There are a number stories in the Bible of men and women entreating God with something they want God to do. And in many of those stories, He does what the person asked! Case in point: In Exodus when the Israelites angered God by creating an idol, He said he would destroy them. Moses pleaded on their behalf, and what was the outcome? God “relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened." Exodus 32:14
There other stories but this one makes the point. I believe God wants to hear prayers from our hearts. Not a generic, “if it be your will, God.”
Anna, I will continue to pray for your healing from my heart. Thank you for sharing from yours.
Mike, thank you for commenting! And thank you for your prayers. It means a great deal to me.......
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