We Americans (and the American church as a result) somehow believe we are entitled to a happy and prosperous life. We then use scripture to confirm our spoiled ideas, breezing over such passages as:
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4.
Or: "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10.
Others:
"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5
"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."1 Peter 5:10
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18
"Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:7b-10
All this said, I want to firmly establish that I completely believe in and have experienced miraculous healing by the Lord. I have also witnessed others who were instantly healed of a physical illness. But more frequently, many are not healed. And whether that is our fault as believers or due to some concept of salvation we have not yet appropriated, the fact still remains that many, many passionate followers of Jesus have not (as yet anyway) received total healing.
Why some are healed and some not is perplexing, frustrating and even embarrassing to those whose tenant steadfastly remains: "...and He healed them all" (Matthew 12:15). Yes, Jesus did. So what do we take from this?
As a Charismatic Christian, I believe Jesus bought salvation for ALL when He redeemed us on the cross. The word "sozo," in the Greek is defined as to "save, HEAL, and deliver." Amen! So how do I reconcile my illness with sozo?
The Gospels and books of Acts teach us that healing SHOULD be the norm for Christians. To walk in the healing power of Christ and carry it into the world is our inheritance. We are Kingdom people and we possess ALL of Christ's power, therefore we can expect these attributes as part of our salvation gifts!...But...what to do when we don't see our own or loved one's health restored?
Do we continue to proclaim we are healed when we so obviously aren't? I can't do that. It seems false and childish...magical thinking, if you will. On the other hand, Scripture teaches that "Faith is the substance of things HOPED for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1). So there you are. Different folks interpret the expression of faith differently.
For me, it has come down to: I have a chronic condition. I don't know yet whether I will be healed or not. I HOPE for healing; I pray for healing. Others lay their hands on me and command healing. I proclaim Christ's SOZO redemption for myself and those I'm praying for, for their soul, spirit and flesh. Yet...here I am, on a weird medication to hopefully diminish my chronic pain and fatigue. "Is that faith?" many will ask. I don't know.
Last week my husband and I went to "Son of God" at the theater. During the crucifixion scene I grieved at the excruciating pain our Savior endured for us, and the thought struck me (I was in physical pain myself, but a pittance compared to what He suffered through), that nothing I have had to bear so far in this life can even touch what He experienced for us. His human life was relatively short and not given over to luxury and hedonistic pleasure. He had one purpose and He pressed on toward it. He had no romantic life, produced no children, had no home, lived in relative poverty and not once did He stray from His Father's will. How much then can we endure our cross and live like Jesus?
"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, nd so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead." Philippians 3:7-11.
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