Part 1 of this article began with the miraculous healing of the woman with the issue of blood (see Mark 5, Luke 8, Matthew 9). Doctors were unable to heal the woman, but when she touched the hem of Jesus’ garment, she was healed instantly.

Although many of us have experienced equally miraculous healings, we know from experience that these only occur on occasion. Even when we demonstrate faith (getting anointed by the ministry, asking others to pray for us, etc.), we often wind up needing to seek medical attention for the illness or injury. Sometimes, the condition can’t be healed at all.

When this happens, do we conclude that God hasn’t heard our prayer or is ignoring it? We shouldn’t. God hears every prayer and answers in His own way.

For example, just because you wind up going to a doctor to be treated doesn’t mean that God is not in the matter. Doctors are blessed with wisdom by God and can be used by Him. There are countless testimonies of people who have been directed to just the right doctor to treat their condition.

Even if you’re assuming that you’ll wind up going to a doctor, begin with prayer. Be anointed if possible. Perhaps God will heal you miraculously. But if that doesn’t happen and you go for medical treatment and wind up fully recovered, you can still praise God. Your prayer has been answered — you asked to be healed and you are!

“They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32)

Jesus made the above statement to the scribes and Pharisees when they were questioning why He was spending time with sinners. However, if you look closely at the quote, it’s perhaps revealing to note that Jesus is saying that sick people need a doctor while sinners need Christ.

You see, Jesus is more than a doctor. Yes, He can say the word and heal any affliction. Yes, He often showed compassion to people who He was with and healed them. However, the primary reason that Jesus came was not to heal the body but to heal the soul. His mission is to show people how they can live forever in the kingdom of God, not how they can live a few more years on earth.

Even though Jesus spent a fair amount of His time on earth healing the sick, He wanted to be careful to not have all of His time consumed with being some type of super-doctor. So, He sometimes told people who were healed to not tell others what He had done for them.

For example, after healing the woman with the issue of blood, Jesus continues on to the house of Jairus and raises his daughter from the dead. After doing this, “her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done” (Luke 8:56). After leaving the house of Jairus, Jesus encounters two blind men and restores their sight and “Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it” (Matthew 9:30).

(Of course, when we experience a miraculous healing today, we don’t keep it to ourselves. We want everyone to know about the power of God. Also, such miracles give us credibility as The Church of Jesus Christ!)

OK, so sometimes you get healed miraculously, and sometimes you go to the doctor to recover. But what about when you have some type of condition that the medical community can’t help you with? Not necessarily a fatal condition but something that you wind up having to live with. Although it’s difficult to think about it this way, it could be God’s will that you bear that condition.

For example, the Apostle Paul had some type of “thorn in the flesh” that he prayed three times for God to remove. However, he then recognized that God was using this affliction to keep him humble, so he resolved to just live with it and be thankful for the grace of God in his life. (See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10).

Perhaps God has a purpose for whatever affliction or hardship you are bearing. If so, look for that purpose and hopefully you will be able to praise God even in your affliction.

And if the affliction is a “sickness unto death”? Well, without minimizing all of the ramifications of this, we can take courage in knowing where servants of God go when they depart from this earth. And this is how we can always know how much God loves us — by remembering that He sent His only Son to earth to make a way for us to live with Him for eternity when we leave this life. He gave us the best that He had.

So, in summary, try not to allow disappointment over what appears to be unanswered prayers to discourage you from continuing to put your faith in God. It helps to remember that Jesus is more than a doctor — He primarily came to save your soul, so if you’ve already given your life to Him, then you’ve already received the best He has to offer. Anything else is a bonus. 

However, Jesus often shows compassion to His followers and sometimes wants to exhibit His power to cause people to believe. So, continue to bring your requests to the Lord. You may see a miracle, or perhaps things will be handled in some other way, but God hears every prayer and if our situation is in the Lord’s hands, where else would we want it to be?

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.