15 Myths and Realities of Healing

In my recent book, God Can’t: How to Believe in God and Love after Tragedy, Abuse, and Other Evils, I address the topic of healing.  I’m not only interested in explaining how healing works. I’m also interested in explaining why many are NOT healed.

To conclude one chapter, I summarized my main points. I provide a list of what I think are 15 myths and realities about healing. I explain these in detail in the chapter, of course.

15 Myths and Realities of Healing

1. Myth: God healed long ago but does so no longer. Reality: God always works to heal, and this was true in the past and true in the present.

2. Myth: God may choose not to heal until we beg, plead, or elevate our faith. Reality: God works to heal even before we ask.

3. Myth: To heal, God must supernaturally intervene in our lives. Reality: God is always already present and doesn’t need to “come into” our lives or circumstances.

4. Myth: We should add, “if it’s your will” to prayers asking God to heal. Reality: It’s always God’s will to heal, so this add-on is unnecessary and confusing.

5. Myth: Our pain, suffering, and abuse are part of God’s preordained plan. Reality: God’s plan does not include causing or allowing evil.

6. Myth: God only loves sometimes and is only present in some places. Reality: God always loves everyone and is always present all the time working to heal.

7. Myth: God is the only cause of healing. Reality: Creaturely causes – whether small or large – also play a role in healing.

8. Myth: God can heal singlehandedly. Reality: God cannot heal singlehandedly, because doing so would require God to control others. And God’s love is inherently uncontrolling.

9. Myth: There is natural healing, healing by doctors, and divine healing. Reality: All healing involves creaturely and divine causes.

10. Myth: God selects whom to heal and whom to allow to suffer. Reality: God works to heal everyone, but various constraints or creaturely lack of cooperation can frustrate God’s efforts to heal.

11. Myth: Those not healed did not have enough faith. Reality: Those not healed often have plenty of faith, but their bodies or factors in their environment prevent them from being healed.

12. Myth: While God doesn’t control free will creatures, God can control smaller entities in our bodies and the environment. Reality: God expresses uncontrolling love to all creatures, great and small.

13. Myth: Our prayers for healing don’t make any difference. Reality: Our prayers alter the circumstances and open up possibilities for God’s healing.

14. Myth: There is no hope for those whose hope for healing was thwarted by actors and factors. Reality: God’s healing work continues after our bodies die.

15. Myth: God only heals in the afterlife. Reality: God works to heal in this life. When we, our bodies, or other factors cooperate, we enjoy healing now.

I realize that these statements are pithy and require greater explanation. But I offer more detail in God Can’t. I’ve also addressed the broader issue of miracles in earlier blogs. Here’s a link, if you’re interested.

Your thoughts?

About

Thomas Jay Oord is a theologian, philosopher, and scholar of multi-disciplinary studies. He is the author or editor of more than twenty books and professor at Northwest Nazarene University, Nampa, Idaho.

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