Life, Death and Healing – an introduction

Healing always seems to be such a popular, yet controversial topic amongst Christians. Well, that and tithing. But ever since I was baptised with the Spirit of God and read through the New Testament, the phrase “and they were all healed” kept jumping out at me. Consequently, healing is something I’ve given a great deal of thought to over the years. It’s my intention to share some of those thoughts with you over the next few posts, but please note that they are my thoughts. I am not advocating that everyone should think as I do, but my hope is that you will keep an open mind and perhaps be willing to challenge your own thinking on the subject. So here goes….

Once upon a time, as a born-again baby barely out of spiritual nappies, I became reacquainted with a woman I’d previously known from the local Anglican church. As it turned out, she had also since become born-again, and we were now both part of the same Pentecostal church. Her husband had been involved in a motorcycle accident some years before, which had left him with some serious physical disabilities. Although he was able to stand and slowly walk for a few shaky steps with crutches, most of his life from that point had been spent in a wheelchair.

One afternoon, at some social event or other at church, I was just casually chatting with them both when the topic of healing inevitably came up. Of course he was not enjoying the limitations that his physical disabilities imposed upon him, and he very much wanted to be free of them. But in my ignorant immaturity, I thoughtlessly said (in that laconic way we Aussies do), “Yeah, but do you really want to be healed?”

I may as well have punched him in the face, because that’s what his expression looked like I had done. Tactful, I was not. To be fair though, in my mind I was being pragmatic rather than judgemental. I had been thinking about how when we’re overweight we say we want to lose weight, but most of the time it’s more an expression of our desire rather than purposeful intention. Of course I want to be thinner, but unless I’m prepared to put in the effort to exercise and eat less, it isn’t going to happen. It’s like we want things to just magically happen for us. We want to enjoy the positive results and benefits, but without having to really make much effort. That’s probably the same reason why so many people buy Tattslotto tickets (!).

I was also aware that there were other considerations. Living disabled in any way affords us a kind of privilege, in that we are likely to be cared for without as much being required of us. Someone else has to carry the responsibilities that might ordinarily have been expected of us. And before you go all lemon-lipped on me, think about it. To be healed of his disabilities would mean having to become responsible again; to carry the adult responsibilities normally expected of any able man. So being made whole could mean that once again, there might be expectations of him that there had not been whilst experiencing his physical limitations.

I also think that sometimes it’s just easier for us to adapt and live with the limitations because we become comfortable in them; or they become more comfortable than the degree of effort we consider any alternative might require. And even though we may rail against the limitations, deep down a part of us embraces them as our excuse or defence to opt out of carrying the responsibility inherent in living whole. It’s like our sub-conscious draws up a list of pros and cons, and decides to stick with what we know. And we live with the lack because it’s emotionally less challenging than what it might take to be free of the limitations. We might be miserable, but we take a strange comfort in it because it is our misery.

But back to the story. It might not surprise you to learn that the man was deeply offended by my thoughtless comment. Yet here’s the thing: he got so mad at what I said, that it became a catalyst within him for positive change. Several years later, when I last heard of the fellow, he was getting about increasingly under his own steam, and without the wheelchair. He had healed to a sufficient degree that he was even attempting to have his driving licence reinstated. God was able to use the man’s anger and sense of injury for good within him, because it triggered a determination in the man to get better – even if his motivation was just to prove me wrong. And God used the experience to teach me some (much needed) sensitivity.

The point is, whenever we feel provoked to anger or offence by something someone says, our reaction to it can often be a bit of a red flag that something within us needs to change in order for us to eventually profit. If all things work together for good for those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28) – and let’s face it, most of those things do not look good at the time –  then we need to be willing to trust that God knows what He’s doing. If we’re prepared to let God heal our bodies, then we also need to be prepared to let him make positive changes to our minds and hearts; to our attitudes, beliefs and feelings as well. It is totally up to us to choose if we will cooperate with Him or not, and preferably we will choose to do so without God needing to send someone like the immature version of me to figuratively punch you in the face!