Healing - What does the Bible have to say?

Quick answer

God can still heal supernaturally today, sometimes instantly, sometimes through a process, or even by working through medicine. Though God may not always choose to heal in this life, we can trust His perfect wisdom and timing in all circumstances.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The Bible offers much help in understanding God's ability and purposes for healing. First, it is clear that God can heal in any way and at any time He desires. He can heal instantly or in stages. He can heal ailments people have had from birth, for many years or for not long at all. Sometimes His healing requires the one healed to take some sort of action and sometimes not. Second, the Bible reveals that God sometimes chooses not to heal in this life. Jesus healed many with sicknesses in this account but left others who had not yet received healing.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

In Genesis 20:1-18, God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his slave girls after Abraham prayed for them, as God had closed their wombs.

In Numbers 12:10-15, Miriam was struck with leprosy and was healed after Moses prayed for her.

In 2 Kings 5:1-14, Naaman was healed of leprosy after following the instructions of the prophet Elisha to wash in the Jordan River.

In 2 Kings 20:1-7, King Hezekiah was healed from a terminal illness after he prayed to God, and God sent the prophet Isaiah to tell him he would recover.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

Jesus was able to heal from afar and immediately during His time on earth (Matthew 8:13).

For some, Jesus did not heal instantly, but in stages (Matthew 8:22-25).

Jesus did not exclude healing from those who had already consulted medical doctors and did not tell them that those consultations were wrong (Mark 5:26).

At times, Jesus spoke of traditional medical treatments favorably, showing that consulting doctors can be a way God provides healing and relief (Luke 10:34).

Jesus healed people with ailments from the time of birth and those who had been suffering for years (Luke 8:43-48, 13:10-13, John 9:1-7).

Sometimes, Jesus gave a direction that the one in need of healing had to follow. Upon following that direction, they were fully healed (Luke 17:12-14, John 9:6-7).

Sometimes people are not healed because their suffering is for the name of Christ and His glory (Acts 9:16).

Some believers in the church of Corinth experienced grave illness and even death because of their irreverence toward the Lord’s Supper; their illnesses were punishment for their behavior (1 Corinthians 11:30).

When we are facing illness, we can ask other believers and those in our churches to pray for God’s healing within His will (James 5:14).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

As nothing is impossible for God, He can still fully heal people supernaturally today. Or He can work through modern medicine and the advancements He has allowed doctors and scientists to discover. There is nothing wrong with asking God to heal according to His will, but we must understand that He may not heal in our timing or at all. Why would God sometimes not heal a person? Sometimes God allows a person to suffer for the name of Christ. We can be a great witness through times of suffering and illness. At other times, sickness simply occurs as part of the imperfect human condition. Bodies age; bones wear down. At other times, God allows sickness as a form of judgment. For example, the Corinthian believers who took the Lord’s Supper with irreverence were judged with physical sickness and even death.

God’s ability to heal supernaturally does not negate the important role of obtaining appropriate medical help during times of need. Jesus did not speak against those who sought help from doctors and encouraged medical assistance at times.

In summary, God can and often does heal. Yet sometimes God chooses to heal slowly or even not all in this life, often for reasons not understood at the time. Regardless of how God chooses to act, we can trust He is perfect in all His ways and knows the best way to respond to all those who turn to Him for help in their time of need.

UNDERSTAND

God is able to supernaturally heal any illness at any time.

Sometimes God may choose to heal in a variety of ways and other times He may not choose to heal at all.

Whether or not we receive healing, we can trust that God’s ways are always perfect.

REFLECT

How do you respond when healing doesn’t come as quickly or in the way you expect?

In what ways have you experienced or witnessed God’s healing, and how has that shaped your faith?

How does knowing that God’s ways are perfect, even when He doesn’t heal, affect how you handle suffering or illness in your life?

ENGAGE

How can we support and encourage one another when healing doesn’t come, but we want to hold on to faith and hope?

What does the Bible teach us about the relationship between prayer, faith, and practical steps like seeking medical care?

How can we reconcile the mystery of why God sometimes chooses to heal and other times allows suffering to remain?