PRAYER - Clarification

On my previous post on prayer:



Danielle said...
Susan, you say-"I am personally against in praying for the sick is using the phrase "If it be your will please heal Mary." God is the healer........it is always God's will that we be healed. Satan is the one that comes to kill, steal and destroy not our God and Christ paid for our healing, as well as our sins, on the cross at Calvary."This reminded me of two things in my going to church years. One was that it always seemed to be implied that God's will was not your own. (Your will and not mine be done, his ways are not our ways, etc, etc). I struggled a lot with this in my young adult years, because I was programmed to think that everything that I wanted (my will) was something that God *didn't* want, and therefore, practically everything I perceived to be good was a sin. Secondly, the healing thing- My good friend's husband was diagnosed with a rare disease that made his bones turn to sponge. He had a month to live from this at the time that I found out about it. There were many healing services and prayers being held for him, and when he was not being healed, they said it was because his faith was not that strong. They convinced him, in the last month of his life that the faith he had was not real. That's psychologically a very bad way to die. Hope you don't mind me sharing.
February 28, 2008 10:50 AM

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Jennifer said: Susan, I am proud of the discussion that went on about prayer too. Help me understand prayer for healing. I don't know how to pray if I don't ask Him for His Will to be for healing. What can I say if they don't recieve healing, that Satan had more power than Jesus? Can Jesus in His Will not say 'NO'. I completely feel the scripture about By His Stripes we are healed. But isn't that spiritual healing? Let me say right now that I am not arguing with you. I truly would like to understand. I have so many questions that God will answer and meanwhile I would like to know how you feel. Your blog always gives me blessing and makes me think! Jennifer
February 28, 2008 8:20 PM

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I also had a private e-mail voicing some of the same thoughts. This is my reply to that e-mail:

Thanks for this e-mail and your thoughts. I was afraid I might be misunderstood on that but I had to say it to be true to myself.

I am FULLY aware that God does not always choose to heal. Just a few minutes ago I got word that a young 36 year old mother in our church has died this morning of cancer. Our entire church prayed last night for a miracle for her, because we knew it would take a miracle. Our church has been in constant prayer for this young woman for about 15 months now. We lost Mickey's younger, and only, sister to a terrible disease that literally, over a few years, took her legs, hands and body parts before her life. . We prayed and we believed.

I just don't personally like that phrase "if it be your will" because I have to believe in my heart it is His WILL to heal, just as it is His WILL that all be saved. It's just that we don't understand the full scope of the reasons why in His judgement it does not occur. That is where our Hope and Faith must then take up. Are we going to get angry or quit believing because our prayer was not answered? I will not, because my God is so much bigger than I can begin to understand.

It would have been so easy for me to not address that but like I said, to be true to my self I had to. I try very hard to be truthful, sometimes to my own hurt, on my blog. I hope you understand my heart. I'm not judging those who chose to use that phrase......I just personally do not like it. I made a real effort to point out it was my personal opinion. Do you think I stated it in a judgemental attitude or way? If so, that was not my intent and I will surely go back on my blog and state that fact.

To Danielle, & the person who e-mailed me, I have to say how terribly sorry I am that someone would say or indicate :

1)"and when he was not being healed, they said it was because his faith was not that strong. They convinced him, in the last month of his life that the faith he had was not real. That's psychologically a very bad way to die. "

or 2) " I had a friend tell me basically that it was God’s will that my Mom didn’t get cancer and die…if only we would have prayed harder…or believed more… or whatever … she wouldn’t have died of cancer. It was as if she was saying God wasn’t in control and Satan was…due to our lack of faith or prayer. "

I do not blame God, and no Jennifer I certainly do not believe satan wins........satan was defeated at the cross of Calvary. I know the faith that Mickey and I were standing and believing in when we lost his sister. I know the faith and prayer and belief that was operating when I lost one of my forever friends, back in 1986, at the young age of 45. I know it was not because of lack of faith. I believe in the sovereignty of God. I believe His ways are higher than our ways. I believe in Romans 8:28 " And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

It was just my PERSONAL OPINION and I do believe in my heart that it is God's WILL that all be healed and that it is God's WILL that all be saved. I would not pray "Please save Mary, if it be your will" and therefore I chose not to pray "Please heal Mary, if it be your will."

I really am sorry if my comment in any way offened anyone. I think we need to be very careful with our words that we do not step on toes and certainly that we do not step on tender hearts. I realize we all carry our particular hurts, pains and experiences that color and shade our views.

As I further told my e-mail correspondent :

" I know it is a very sensitive subject and like so many things in life we will just have to agree to disagree on this small phrase as we agree wholeheartedly on the fact that God is GOD and that Jesus is LORD!!!.

To Danielle, Jennifer and my e-mail friend I certainly appreciate your views and opinions. I certainly don't think for one minute I have all the answers or am above being wrong.

To any of my others readers: If what I said offened you or caused you personal hurt I am very sorry. I am glad I serve a God who looks at, sees and knows our hearts. I am also glad I serve a God who shows me Grace, time and time again.