Hunger for Healing

What does it look like to be fully healed?

I watched a man with a solemn face and a cane step forward for prayer.

My friend turned to me and said, “Should we join them?”

I don’t know why I suddenly had full confidence as I watched him, because normally I prepare for the worst-case scenario. But in that moment there wasn’t a doubt in my mind, “Nah, we don’t need to. He’s gonna get healed.”

Several minutes later I looked back over at the man who’d been prayed for and just as I had said he was holding his cane up, had a big smile on his face, and was wiggling his legs as he stood unsupported. Healed. I smiled and couldn’t help saying to my friend, “Told you so.”

I hurried over to congratulate the man. And then I asked if he could run. He ran! Right across the front of the room, and people he passed let out surprised cheers. I could see people taking out their cameras, but he had stopped moving by the time they were ready to capture the moment. So I went up to him again and said,

“That was amazing. People really want to celebrate with you. Can you run one more time?”

I thought he might brush me off, but a man who minutes ago was unable to run is not about to stop. He took off running and this time lapped the entire room!!! His joy and smile was so contagious!

That same night there was a man with back pain, and as we prayed and prayed and prayed, the back pain wasn’t lifting.

As this stubborn pain persisted I remembered the big smile and running I’d just witnessed and God dropped something into my heart:

 Don’t you know that God wants that for you too?

All of you. Everyone reading this. Full healing. Your joy restored to the point where you couldn’t contain it if you tried. Not just healing for your body, but hope, love, freedom, bursting in your spirit like a wave! Every hurt gone. Every bit of pain a far away memory.

Sometimes we can see healing in others and forget that the same God who did that for them loves us just as much. Our stories look different, but God is the same.

If there’s a cane in your life, put it down. Stop saying you need pain to learn a lesson. Jesus took that all for you on the cross.  Instead let God teach you through his abundant love and grace. God is willing.

I still don’t fully understand why every healing doesn’t just happen. (As I’m writing this, I spent a week sick and praying it away, it has yet to lift). But I know every healing can happen. I want to stop giving up when someone is partially healed or healed just enough that they can go on, and I want to stop saying, well, that’s good enough. It’s not. God paid for so much more! Let’s desire it, seek it, and trust in God.

Prayer for Spiritual Strength

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

(Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV, emphasis added)