Doctor stuff – Why is it so?

From my observations these days, when a Christian goes forward for healing prayer, it seems that they go with the desire of leaving the altar leaping and shouting for joy because they have been fully restored, as if by magic. If that doesn’t happen, they seem to walk away disappointed, despondent or discouraged. In contrast, when we go to the doctor, we hold no such expectation. We usually expect a doctor to tell us what is wrong with us, and only after finding out what is wrong do we then consider going to God to be reminded of what is right with us. Then we expect the doctor to prescribe some kind of treatment, which we will submit to with the expectation that any healing will occur over a period of time.

So why isn’t it like that when we go to God? Why do we apply one measure to doctors and medicine, but another to God? Why are we willing to persist with medical treatments for sometimes very long periods of time (think, cancer treatments or dialysis), and endure awful side effects when being treated by medicine, but we think that God should just click his fingers and ta-da! We’re healed! Why do we not consider the possibility of ‘treatment’ from God occurring over a period of time, even if that’s as short as 5 minutes, or as long as a year? Why is it that we are willing to persist with medicine, but God only gets the one shot before we’re discouraged?

Persistence isn’t repetition

Even if we’re going up and asking others to pray for our healing every week, I suspect that may be stating more about a struggle with faith or being able to receive from God than it is about persisting in prayer. Persisting in prayer isn’t about the number of times you ask for the same thing, but rather asking once, then thanking God persistently and praying to keep the way open for whatever solution God will provide to successfully make its way to you. If we are asking in faith, then faith believes what it cannot see and trusts that God is faithful, so if we need to ask more than once, mightn’t that suggest we didn’t really trust and believe the first time?

If we do ask once, believing that God is faithful, and nothing appears to have happened when you have trusted that it did, isn’t it logical then that something must be getting in the way? Rather than just asking for the same thing over and over, as though by the sheer number of repetitions things will magically change (because isn’t that the very definition of insanity?), have we taken time to draw aside and examine with God what might be getting in the way? Let me put it this way: if I’ve ordered a book online, then I will have an estimate of when it should arrive. If it doesn’t arrive by the expected time, I don’t just go order another book. What would be the point of that if I already have one on order? Doesn’t it make more sense that if my book hasn’t arrived when expected, then there’s likely to be a problem that can be traced in order for the issue to be resolved?

Treatment

So, if a healing isn’t showing up, then maybe there’s a mindset within us that needs to be realigned or reframed. Or maybe the devil has been messing with us and we just need to give him his marching orders. There are plenty of reasons why we might not see a positive outcome immediately. If we’re willing to submit ourselves to the doctor and his treatment/s, why do we not consider that we may have to submit to God and any treatments He might suggest?

John G. Lake understood this principle when he established the healing rooms in Spokane, Washington. They were a huge success because they were a physical place where those who didn’t receive an instant healing could stay as guests for as long as it took for them to finally walk away restored and whole. The healing rooms were like an intense treatment centre that ministered to the spirit, soul and body of their guests, enabling them to focus on God as they tarried together in prayer, meditated upon the Word and submitted themselves to the ministrations of the Spirit of God.

Not a lack of faith

I don’t believe that not being instantly healed means we have a lack of faith, because if we have had faith enough to receive salvation, then we already have faith enough to receive any inheritance that comes with redemption, such as healing or living in divine health.  Perhaps it is more likely that we’re just a bit wobbly exercising it, like a toddler learning to walk. No baby goes from crawling one day to walking the next. It takes time to strengthen the necessary muscles and develop the required balance to walk confidently without assistance.

If you consider that exercising faith is trusting in God, then perhaps what others might label as a lack of faith is simply a lack of practicing trust in God. Perhaps, like the toddler, we might need to spend time strengthening the muscles and learning balance first before letting go of the furniture. And like the toddler, we don’t just take 2 steps then stop; we keep practicing taking steps until we finally learn to run. Imagine it like if someone gives us an all-singing, all-dancing wonder machine for the kitchen, but we never learn how to use it (or even plug it in), then what good is it to us? How will it ever benefit us? I think that sometimes we go to God as a 10lb weakling, but rather than asking him how to strengthen our faith, or build our confidence in trusting Him so we are able to receive the healing that was already there from the moment we asked (and from the first time we asked), we instead lament at our sorry plight, and walk away sad, discouraged, and ready to throw in the towel.

And then we try to put it from our minds, other than to find ways to justify what did, or did not happen. Many will consider the problem to be between us and God, in that we tend to believe we must have somehow failed or disappointed him, or we’re not important enough to him for him to be bothered with us – none of which is true. Too often we fail to consider the truth that God has already done his part, and all we need do now is cooperate with him. If we want to enjoy the benefits of faith, we need to not only learn how to operate the all-singing, all-dancing wonder machine, but continue to practice using it until we get familiar with it’s functions and understand how it works.

Justifications

We might reason that perhaps it was not his will, even though it is. Or that the time of miracles has passed, even though it hasn’t. And how likely are we to consider, or admit to ourselves, that searching out someone with a healing ministry to pray for us might perhaps mean our faith was being put in that person and their ministry more than it was in God? The simple fact is that we don’t necessarily need someone with a gift of healing to pray for us, because God can work through any one of us, even a child.

We’re also not likely to consider that perhaps we were testing God, seeing if he would heal us and ‘prove’ himself before we were willing to trust or commit to anything more. And maybe we’re not ready or completely willing to relinquish our faith in medicine because, honestly, we want to hedge our bets. By all means, if our faith is in medicine, then pursue a medical solution. But please don’t treat God like he’s a back-up plan. Don’t be double-minded by looking to medicine and to God for the same thing, because James says it’ll get you nowhere (James 1:5-8).