Praying about health

In our most recent newsletter we included 7 ways that you can always pray for our ministry.  We also have generic prayer request in the Ministry Vision brochure that everyone that gets our newsletter has.  One of those requests is for health.

Now I’ve often wondered if we simply place too much emphasis on health in general.  Our health is certainly far better than many people I know.  Things could easily be far more serious.  But it can be frustrating when you can’t do much in any given day, when there’s so much you would like to do.

 I guess there are really a couple of sides to the issue.  First of all, it’s obvious to me that Jesus cared deeply about people that suffered.  He spent a lot of His time and energy healing, and the Bible tells us about His compassion (ie Matt 14:14).  So does Jesus care when we’re sick?  Absolutely.  Is it valid to pray to Him for healing?  Of course.  In fact, prayer for the sick is commanded (Jam 5:14).  So a prayer request for our health is certainly appropriate.

Then again, how high a priority is it?  From the standpoint of the world, it’s very important.  If you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.  And if you don’t have your health, your productivity goes down.  Well, the Christian has a lot in spite of poor health, and often gains a lot as he or she sees God work through pain.  It can be a powerful witness to others.  The more weak we are, the more people can see God’s power (2Co 12:9).  So health is certainly not the most important thing to the Christian.  We have the hope of healing; even if it’s not healing at this moment, we know healing will come.

I guess the thing to do is…
1. Focus on God – don’t let sickness become a reason to become inward focused
2. Realize that God can use us no matter what our physical condition
3. Realize that God has the power to heal, and to do even greater things – beyond the physical

So if you’re praying, go ahead and pray for our health.  But pray also that God would keep us focused on Him, and glorify Himself through us – in sickness or in health, may He be glorified.