Healing Didn't Look Like I Thought it Would
Sometimes healing doesn’t come in the way we think it will.
I recall a conversation I had with a friend years ago, before I knew Jesus. She was lamenting the fact that her grown son and his family were not connected to a local church body. I remember vividly the feeling I had that day as I asked her why this was so important to her. “Why do you care if they are in a church? Isn’t that their choice and not yours?” Her reply baffled me. She said, “It is the most important thing in life to be connected to God through a body of believers and I want, more than anything else, for my children to have that.”
I didn’t understand. It didn’t make sense to me. I was so lost that I didn’t even know that I was missing the most important thing in my life. I was seeking to heal my heart from past rejection and hurt in my own power; Jesus was just an enigma. When I look back on that conversation with my friend, I can see God using her to call out to me. I just wasn’t ready to hear it yet. I failed to see how being connected to God along with other “church people”, could lead to growth or change in my life. Healing didn’t look like it thought it would.
As I reflect on my own journey, I am reminded of the story of Naaman’s healing from leprosy in 2 Kings 5. In this story, healing didn’t look like Naaman thought it would either. He expected the prophet, Elisha, to come out and lay his hands on him and heal him, but instead, Elisha sent a messenger out to give Naaman instructions to do something seemingly silly: to wash himself in the Jordan river seven times.
But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! (2 Kings 5:11 NLT)
In his pride, Naaman became angry. He thought that he could buy healing with his worldly wealth. He had a preconceived notion about what healing would look like, and as I read this story, I could see myself in Naaman. I thought that healing would come into my life when I found that elusive happiness in the perfect home, a loving marriage, a happy family, or worldly wealth. I, too, was stubborn and prideful when I thought that I could be whole and healed by my own efforts.
Just like Naaman had to humble himself and be obedient to the instructions that were given to him by Elisha, I had to humble myself and admit that I couldn’t do it on my own. I needed a savior.
Now I see that conversation with my friend through new eyes. She was right. The most important thing in my life is now my connection with God through my church family who help me draw closer to Him every day. We all need a Christian community that spurs us on and encourages us in our daily walk.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
(Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV)
Healing is a continual journey, but it always starts with surrendering our hearts to the only one who can truly heal. Finding my way to Jesus was not a solo journey. I needed a family of believers to guide me and help me find my way. God was calling out to me long before I was ready to surrender my life to Him, but I didn’t want to be obedient to His calling because healing didn’t look like I thought it would.
Are there areas of your life where you are reluctant to surrender to Jesus for healing? Why?
Are there areas of obedience to Christ that you resist or that seem strange to you?
What steps do you need to take to be obedient in God’s calling for your life?
But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! (2 Kings 5:11 NLT)
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
(Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV)
Oh Lord, if you heal me, I will be truly healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone! (Jeremiah 17:14 NLT)
Melanie Wheeler
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