This is for my fellow followers of Jesus Christ who are suffering from something that is not their own doing.
It’s a rainy day here in central Arkansas, and rainy days have always sent me into deep thought mode. It forces me to be still and ponder the things going on in the world. I listen to world events and scroll through social media more. Today was no exception, and I am amazed at the number of posts and reels that promote the prosperity gospel or the “you have the power to make it happen” gospel. It reminded me of a period when I really wanted these things to be true.
It has been said to me that if I only believed enough, I would not have had cancer or, be deaf or have any other illness. I would have an overabundance of money and things and could have everything I wanted! If I only believed enough. I tried it. It didn’t work.
I don’t want to discourage anyone in their belief; that’s one of the reasons I haven’t addressed this sooner. But I want you to know that just your belief or unbelief is not all that matters. I let myself believe this way of thinking for a moment in time, and when things didn’t instantly change for me, I began to question my faith and God’s faithfulness. I wasn’t miraculously healed of deafness, even though I believed I would be. I was told I needed to “walk and act as if I were.” I don’t even know how you do that… All this caused me to question my belief and my relationship with God because I have always related to the father who asked for healing for his child, and when Jesus asked him if he believed, his answer was, “I believe. Forgive my unbelief!” So, I searched the Bible for what I was doing wrong. I asked God to show me, to teach me, to tell me, to forgive my unbelief. Praise God for scripture and the truth that it holds. I didn’t find any of the things people were promising me written there. What I did find were promises of complete and eternal healing in eternity. In fact, many times, we are told to be prepared for pain and suffering here. It’s going to happen; we live in a broken world. But all of it will be for our good if we love Jesus. It will bring Him glory and give us joy.
What matters is what’s truly best for us according to God’s plan. Being instantly healed or ridiculously wealthy could even cause us more harm than good. We cannot know what’s best. We cannot see past this moment. How many times have you thought you were doing exactly the right thing, but it turned out to be the wrong thing??
Life can change in the blink of an eye. But God does know what’s best, and thankfully, He does what’s best for us.
Do I believe that God is still the same today as He was in the days of old? Working miracles, blessing His people with riches, etc.? Absolutely. I’ve seen it!! I’ve been the recipient of it. Should you ask for these things? Of course!!! And ask believing and knowing that God is able and can do all things!!! He Is!!!! He Can!!! Who doesn’t want to live the good life here? We all do!! So, ask!! But what if you don’t get that healing? What if you work hard all your life and still have only enough? Does that mean you didn’t believe correctly? That you did something wrong? That it’s your fault? No! I have seen people lead to believe this about themselves, and they are left brokenhearted and downcast. It steals their peace and joy. Don’t let this happen to you!
I can give you numerous examples of people I know personally who have such a close and wonderful relationship with God, yet they still suffered. But when I think about them and their lives and all the people affected by their proclamation of the love of Jesus while they were suffering or doing without, I know that people were amazed, and glory was brought to God. I know they didn’t do anything wrong. Just the opposite. I think God said, “I trust you to be my witness before others, so you need to go ahead and carry this burden. I’ll be right here with you.”
As I was reading Revelation this morning, I began to think of John (the apostle that Jesus loved). John set out to tell the world of Jesus and the salvation He brought to this world because Jesus told him to. I think you would agree that John probably did everything right. That he truly believed. He knew the power in the name of Jesus. He’d seen it and used it. Yet John ended up sick and in prison. Exiled so that he could not speak to others about Jesus. I’m sure he thought there’s something wrong here. “I’ve been doing what You told me to do. Get me out of here so I can get back to it!” I’m sure he prayed for deliverance!! I’m also sure he believed. But deliverance didn’t come. Because what seemed best to John wasn’t what God knew was best for us. In exile on that island, God took John up to heaven and showed him wonderful and miraculous things. He was told to write down these things, and John obeyed. He realized that God was still using him right where he was. By writing the book of Revelation, he told billions of people about the love of Jesus and the Awesomeness of God!!! Instead of speaking to a few, he spoke to all!!!
If you have been denied healing or riches here on this earth, Rejoice!!! You Will be healed, and you Will have riches when we get home. In the meantime, you get to be a witness to the love, peace, and joy that can come from nowhere else other than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!!!
(Mark 9:24 NLT) “The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!””
