Sickness and Prayer
If God does not answer
our prayer after a reasonable wait,
are we to believe that God does not
wish to grant our request, bow in
submission to His will, and
discontinue praying about the matter?
On the other hand, are we to conclude
that God is testing us to see if we
are really in earnest, and wants us
to continue praying?
The answer to these
questions depends upon several
factors, and cannot be decided by a
simple Yes or No. Let us consider
some of the factors involved,
particularly with reference to
suffering and healing.
One who is afflicted
should first of all attempt to
ascertain if he is suffering because
of transgressions of the law of
health and life, and is reaping the
results of what he has sown. If he
finds himself guilty, he should
immediately discontinue the practices
that have brought on this condition.
This is a must. We cannot
expect God to save us from the
results of our folly, if we refuse to
mend our ways. Nor are we to change
our ways merely for the sake of
getting well. A higher principle
should motivate us: that of doing
right because it is right and not
merely that we may benefit by it.
We know that God is
love and does not want any to suffer
needlessly. If He therefore hesitates
in granting us healing, He has good
reasons for doing so. One who keeps
in close touch with God will know the
reasons.
If a Christian
thoroughly repents of his sins and of
those things that have brought on his
sickness, asking God for forgiveness
and healing, and no healing comes,
what is he to do next? He is to
wait patiently-for God.
He is to remember that
only under extraordinary
circumstances does God interfere with
the orderly processes of nature. The
conditions that brought on the
sickness were a long time developing,
and the healing time may be
lengthened proportionately. God
always works along the lines He has
laid down and in harmony with the
laws He has ordained. Unless some
emergency arises and God sees fit to
perform a miracle, the ordinary laws
of nature will be permitted to work.
Suffering and
Repentance
It should be kept in
mind that the results of
transgression are not necessarily a
direct punishment inflicted by God,
but the natural results of man’s
own acts. They are the wages of
sin that he has earned. God does not
kill a man because he drinks carbolic
acid. The man kills himself. The
punishment for violating the laws of
health and of nature is inherent in
the transgression and is not the
result of a direct act of God. The
man intent on suicide that pulls the
trigger might pray God to prevent the
bullet from entering his body, but
such a prayer would be in vain. Yet,
it would be no more inconsistent than
to ask God to prevent the harvest
from the seed sown. “Whatsoever
a man soweth, that shall he also
reap.” Galatians 6:7.
Can nothing be done
for the man who realizes that he is
suffering justly, for what he has
done, but is repentant? Yes, much can
be done. The very fact that he
understands why he is afflicted is in
itself a great gain. He sees the
justice of God, and life takes on new
meaning for him. He does not blame
God; he blames himself. He is at
peace with God and quietly asks God
to begin the healing process in his
body. He does not ask for exemption
from punishment he has brought on
himself; he asks for grace to bear
it. He does not ask the surgeon to
stop in the midst of an operation,
but wants him to finish it and remove
every trace of corruption that might
bring on a new attack if not removed.
He desires healing, but he wants the
surgeon to do his work first.
Therefore, he quietly waits upon God.
God will give him grace, and the
process of restoration will begin as
soon as the man is ready for it. It
may take time, but God is performing
no less a miracle in the slow process
of healing than in an instantaneous
miracle. Wonderful is the body’s
power of recuperation, and when a man
co-operates with God, virtual
miracles may be accomplished.
Let the man take
courage. He may have brought on the
sickness himself and may feel that he
has amply deserved the affliction
that has come to him. However, let
him of good cheer. Let him pray
– pray as never before. In
addition, the Lord will hear. He has
a way of accomplishing in a short
time what ordinarily would take
years; and when He can do this
without violating His own laws, He
will do it. However, He must have the
co-operation of the sick and must
make sure not to go too fast lest the
lesson fail to make the impression
that it should. In this way, the sick
one may pass through an experience
with God that amply repays him for
the time spent on the sickbed. He
will thank God for the affliction
that brought him nearer to his Lord.
God hears and answers
the prayers of those who suffer, even
when they are suffering justly. He is
reluctant to punish, and the moment
one turns to Him, He receives him
with open arms. The story of how the
prodigal son’s father received
the returning son is to the point.
Luke 15: 20-24. God does not wait one
moment to start the healing process
after the man has repented.
The time of sickness
and recovery is God’s
opportunity to help and instruct the
sick. In the night season, God can
speak to him, and he begins to see
the divine philosophy of affliction
and healing. He understands that God
is taking him in hand and is teaching
him needed lessons, and he gladly
accepts them. From a full heart he
prays, “Lord, I am suffering
justly. I have transgressed and done
evil, and I am reaping what I have
sown. I have no complaint to make;
rather, I am thankful for being
called while there is still hope. I
ma happy that I have been permitted
to know Thee and Thy ways better. I
believe, Lord, I have learned my
lesson, and that if Thou shouldest
see best to heal me, Thy will be
done. I am not asking for a speedy
healing, Lord, unless it is Thy will.
I am content; I am submissive.
Moreover, if best that I remain on my
sickbed, I am ready. I have faith in
Thee. I resign myself willingly into
Thy hands.”
Such a prayer God
loves to hear. It gives Him a free
hand. The sick one does not demand
that God work a miracle; he humbly
asks that God’s will be done,
and promises to be satisfied whatever
comes. God how has a man who has
learned his lesson and who has
sufficient faith to leave his case
with God. Such is a man after
God’s heart.
Thus far, our
discussion has dealt with those who
are conscious of sin and know they
are suffering justly. However, there
are other dear souls who have no such
consciousness and are not aware of
any sin that could have brought on
their affliction. What are such to do
when they find themselves afflicted?
The Lessons for Paul
It was not until Paul
had prayed the third time for God to
remove the thorn that he found the
reason for his affliction. It was not
because he had sinned; the thorn was
a precautionary measure taken by God
to keep him from threatening pride.
Paul had a tendency towards pride,
but did not fully recognize his
danger until God revealed it to him.
Then he saw and acknowledged it. He
confessed that God had “given to
me a thorn in the flesh, the
messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest
I should be exalted above
measure.” 2 Corinthians 12:7. He
prayed no more to have the thorn
removed, but thanked God for it and
said, “Most gladly therefore
will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ
may rest upon me.” Verse 9.
This may explain why
some people are afflicted, yet not
conscious of any known sin. They may
have a thorn in the flesh, and if so,
they may ask God humbly for the
reason. The thorn may be the means of
their salvation; but, not being fully
aware of their need, they chafe under
the affliction and ask God to remove
it. Let such seek the Lord with all
their heart. God has promised,
“Ye shall seek Me, and find Me,
when ye search for Me with all your
heart.” Jeremiah 29:13.
Should those who are
afflicted and are not sure of the
reason? Most assuredly. They are not
necessarily to pray to have the
affliction removed, but humbly to
pray to learn its reason and the
lesson, and thus in submission find
God’s strength “made
perfect in weakness.” It may be
that they, with Paul, will find that
they need the experience, and should
not pray to have the affliction
removed unless God clearly indicates
that this is His will.
Memory Verse:
“You will seek
me and find me when you seek me with
all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13
1. Can you
see from this lesson, just how
important faith really is?
Explain.
