When God Does Not Heal (1)
I guess it's true to say that my long term interest in the whole debate about and practice of the healing ministry was intensified when I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease about 7 years ago. Initially the impact of the disease was minimal; more of a nuisance really. But, as predicted by the medical people, the impact of the disease would ever so slowly increase and spread its debilitating influence throughout my whole being. No longer would it be just a nuisance; rather, it would become dictatorial over my bodily functions and movements.
I have often been the object of prayer for healing. I have been anointed as per James 5. At this point I have not been healed although I am convinced that the progress of the disease has been reduced. Certainly my Neurologist seems to think so.
How can I describe my mental & spiritual attitude towards my situation? I think about the leper who came to Jesus (Mark 1:40) and said to Him, "If you are willing you can make me whole". I see two distinct parts to that statement. 1. "You can make me whole". In other words, the diseased man had no doubt about Jesus' ability to heal him. 2. "If you are willing". What the leper was unsure about was Jesus' willingness to heal him.
Like the leper, I have no doubt about the ability of Jesus to heal me of this disease. What I don't know has to do with His willingness: in other words, His will. I think I need to reflect some more on this over the next week or so.
