Romans 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief].

These last two weeks have been difficult for two of my close friends and prayer partners. One lost a friend of over 40 years who had fought cystic fibrosis her entire life and another lost her daughter to cancer. Both women were too young to pass and both were believers and they along with those praying for them believed in healing and were pressing in for it until ultimate healing came.  I wept for both my friends. We were never designed to endure the separation that death brings. Deaths’ heart tear is only borne with the grace of God and the love of those around us who share our grief.

A timely email arrived on my screen from Renovare this week that addressed the dilemma of pain and loss so beautifully I wanted to share it with you.

“The Charismatic Tradition, our focus this month, often places an emphasis on miraculous healing. That puts us at an interesting crossroads of pain and healing, an intersection which raises big questions that this tiny intro and tiny author are ill-equipped to address. But here is what I know.

Jesus is the clearest picture of God available to us. This makes the Gospels the best place to see God’s perspective on suffering.

There we see that while even Jesus learned obedience through suffering, there is never a sense that he desired to prolong anyone’s suffering so that person could “learn a lesson.” Quite the opposite. He was Compassion in the flesh. He healed everyone who came to him.

In short, Jesus reveals that God is pro-healing.

Then why are so many people not healed? That’s one of those big questions with which all must wrestle.

I will say that unless there is a roaringly clear Divine “no”, we can and should pray for healing in Jesus name. And the Gospel accounts give us confidence that these prayers are indeed in his name-that is, in line with his character and desires. We can also in Jesus’ name support all human efforts to alleviate suffering.

And then, if healing delays, we choose to be present without platitudes or presumption to those who are in pain. And though these words are probably best unspoken to the person in pain, we hold hope in our hearts that when all is said and done God will have wasted nothing.”

Brian Morykon

Director of Communications (Renovare)

Isaiah describes Jesus as “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” (Isaiah 53:3) two verses later we read that, “by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

This is a tension we live with on this side of eternity. A mystery I continue to study and pray about with all diligence for better understanding. I have prayed for healing and received it. I have prayed for healing and not been healed (yet). Although I don’t have a theological handle of suffering and healing I do know that my desire is to walk as Jesus walked. I want to bring heaven to earth as he did. So I will press on to both understand more clearly how to walk in the supernatural power that Jesus took hold of and to love as he loved. .