This is a question many of us wrestle with at different points in our lives. It’s a question that often arises when we’re faced with illness or watching someone we care about suffer. As a pastor and someone who has experienced healing personally, I, too, have pondered this difficult issue. While we may not fully grasp why God chooses to heal some and not others, there are a few biblical truths that can anchor us as we navigate this profound mystery.
1. God Still Heals
One thing I know for certain is that God still heals today. The Bible is filled with accounts of miraculous healings, from the Old Testament to the New. In fact, Jesus spent a significant portion of His earthly ministry healing the sick. Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” The same power that healed the blind, the lame, and the leprous still heals today.
I’ve experienced healing in my own life, and I have personally seen many others who have been miraculously touched by the hand of God. This gives me confidence in God’s ability and willingness to heal. When we approach God with faith, we can trust that He hears our prayers and has the power to intervene in supernatural ways.
2. The Mystery of God’s Will
Despite the clear reality that God heals, we also must face the fact that not everyone is healed—at least not in the way we expect or hope for. This can be incredibly difficult to understand, especially when we are praying fervently for ourselves or others.
God’s will is often a mystery to us. Isaiah 55:8-9 tells us, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” Sometimes God’s purposes in allowing suffering or withholding healing are beyond our comprehension. This doesn’t mean God is indifferent to our pain, but it does remind us that His wisdom is infinitely greater than our own.
One biblical example that comes to mind is the apostle Paul. He prayed three times for God to remove a “thorn in the flesh,” but God did not take it away. Instead, God told him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In Paul’s case, God allowed him to live with this weakness to teach him greater reliance on divine strength. In the same way, God’s purposes in our lives might involve something deeper than physical healing.
3. The Role of Faith in Healing
Throughout Scripture, faith is often tied to healing. Jesus frequently told those He healed, “Your faith has made you well” (Matthew 9:22, Luke 17:19). James 5:15 tells us, “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.” Faith is a powerful force that connects us to God’s healing power.
But faith is not a magic formula. It’s important to remember that healing is not dependent solely on the strength of our faith, nor does a lack of healing indicate a lack of faith. There are people of tremendous faith who have not received the healing they’ve sought, and we must be careful not to add to their burden by implying that they are at fault for not being healed.
4. Healing Comes in Many Forms
While we often think of healing as being purely physical, the truth is that God’s healing can take many forms. Physical healing is just one aspect of God’s restorative power. Emotional, relational, and spiritual healing are equally significant, and sometimes more so. A person may not be physically healed in this life, but they might experience a deeper healing in their soul—a peace, a joy, or a closeness to God that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
Additionally, as believers, we hold onto the promise of ultimate healing in the life to come. Revelation 21:4 gives us this assurance: “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Even when healing doesn’t come in this life, we can rest in the hope of resurrection and eternal restoration.
5. Our Responsibility to Keep Praying
Although we may not always understand why some are healed and others are not, we are called to keep praying. Jesus instructed His disciples to pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). In heaven, there is no sickness, no pain, and no death. When we pray for healing, we are asking for a glimpse of that heavenly reality to break through into our earthly lives.
The Bible encourages us to be persistent in prayer. In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow, illustrating the importance of continuing to ask and not giving up. When we pray for healing, we do so in obedience to God’s Word, trusting that He hears us, loves us, and has our best interests at heart.
Conclusion
In the end, we may never fully understand why God heals some and not others. But we do know this: God is good, God still heals, and we are called to keep praying in faith, trusting His wisdom and sovereignty. Our prayers may not always be answered in the way we expect, but we can trust that God is at work, both in our lives and in the lives of those we pray for.
As we navigate the complexities of sickness, suffering, and healing, may we find comfort in the fact that God is always with us, providing grace and strength, even in the midst of unanswered prayers.
This is a message not only of faith but also of trust—trust that God’s ways are higher than ours, and trust that His love for us remains constant, even in the face of mystery.
