I found Selwyn’s comments to be worth considering, especially this statement: “The subject of divine healing presents more problems than any other subject. A greater number of letters have been sent to me about this topic than any other issue.” Why do you think that this is the case? We have a loving relationship with the one and only God, who created the universe – why should we, have any difficulties with the idea that our God can and will heal people, especially when it brings those involved into a deeper relationship with Him?
Selwyn’s description of the two main sources of disease, sickness and physical disharmony is also useful: “The sources are: (1) actual structural disease brought about by, for example, heredity, accident, contagion, ignorance, abuse, poverty and unbalanced nutrition; and (2) functional (which may pass into, or manifest itself, as structural disease) brought about by incorrect mental, moral and spiritual attitudes. … My own view is that about 75 percent of our illnesses and maladies are functional, and about 25 percent are due to structural faults or damage.”
The important point is that any sickness – either physical, because of some flaw in our genetic make-up, or susceptibility to an infectious or mutagenic agent; or, due to some flaw/disorder in our mental attitude (eg depression). Can be taken to God in prayer; recall what’s written in James 5:13-15 (NLT): “ Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.”
This is general advice, there are exceptions – Paul prayed three times to have a ‘thorn in his side’ removed, and God did not take the ‘thorn’ away, because the suffering the ‘thorn’ caused, prevented Paul from becoming proud (in regard to his supernatural experiences). That is, the damage that would have been caused by pride to Paul, would have been far worse than the effects of the ‘thorn’. So too, if God does not heal us, after we have taken the issue to God in prayer, then it is because of a greater good – in regard to God’s purposes being achieved. This is a difficult concept to consider but one we must face. Do you agree?
Two sources of sickness
I found Selwyn’s comments to be worth considering, especially this statement: “The subject of divine healing presents more problems than any other subject. A greater number of letters have been sent to me about this topic than any other issue.” Why do you think that this is the case? We have a loving relationship with the one and only God, who created the universe – why should we, have any difficulties with the idea that our God can and will heal people, especially when it brings those involved into a deeper relationship with Him?
Selwyn’s description of the two main sources of disease, sickness and physical disharmony is also useful: “The sources are: (1) actual structural disease brought about by, for example, heredity, accident, contagion, ignorance, abuse, poverty and unbalanced nutrition; and (2) functional (which may pass into, or manifest itself, as structural disease) brought about by incorrect mental, moral and spiritual attitudes. … My own view is that about 75 percent of our illnesses and maladies are functional, and about 25 percent are due to structural faults or damage.”
The important point is that any sickness – either physical, because of some flaw in our genetic make-up, or susceptibility to an infectious or mutagenic agent; or, due to some flaw/disorder in our mental attitude (eg depression). Can be taken to God in prayer; recall what’s written in James 5:13-15 (NLT): “ Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.”
This is general advice, there are exceptions – Paul prayed three times to have a ‘thorn in his side’ removed, and God did not take the ‘thorn’ away, because the suffering the ‘thorn’ caused, prevented Paul from becoming proud (in regard to his supernatural experiences). That is, the damage that would have been caused by pride to Paul, would have been far worse than the effects of the ‘thorn’. So too, if God does not heal us, after we have taken the issue to God in prayer, then it is because of a greater good – in regard to God’s purposes being achieved. This is a difficult concept to consider but one we must face. Do you agree?