If someone we love is not healed, what happens to our faith?
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Is It possible to believe and be unbelieving at the same time?
Mark 9:22-25
King James Version(KJV)
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, [Thou] dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
Mark 9:22-25
King James Version(KJV)
22 And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.
23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things [are] possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, [Thou] dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
D
This is an age old question...why do good people suffer? Everyone must wrestle with this. I've read several books on the subject, C.S. Lewis' The Problem Of Pain, and When God Doesn't Make Sense by James Dobson, plus others. Dobson talks of a betrayal barrier, a point that every believer comes to where they feel God has apparently betrayed them and they must decide whether to press through believing though they can't see or else to abandon their faith altogether. Don't know if your question is rhetorical or if you are struggling but I pray you find that perfect peace no matter what outward circumstances may be.
Awesome responses to the OP. Some I agree with and some I do not agree with the complete response. That's the reason I started the thread.
In my opinion, one's faith is affected; stronger, weaker. That's what trials and storms do. That's how our spiritual sides grow or not.
This I believe as well. God always answers prayers; yes, no, not now. And no does not mean He didn't answer. We are told to bring all requests, all thanks and all praise to Him. Thus, there would be no reason for Him to refrain from answering our pleas or praise or questions.
My husband suffered the loss of his only daughter through suicide. He prayed many nights over his daughter. I won't go any further with that because death by suicide is another whole thread in itself.
I have prayed for love ones who were suffering and they were not healed. Yet, God had His reasons and through time I was able to come to an understanding.
I as well firmly believe we must pray with faith and believing but most certainly with asking God that His Will be done and not our own.
God expects us to pray without ceasing for ourselves and for others. How those prayers turn out is in the hands of God and He has a plan and a purpose for everything that happens. Everything can be used to the glory of God and to the purpose of His will.
In my opinion, one's faith is affected; stronger, weaker. That's what trials and storms do. That's how our spiritual sides grow or not.
This I believe as well. God always answers prayers; yes, no, not now. And no does not mean He didn't answer. We are told to bring all requests, all thanks and all praise to Him. Thus, there would be no reason for Him to refrain from answering our pleas or praise or questions.
My husband suffered the loss of his only daughter through suicide. He prayed many nights over his daughter. I won't go any further with that because death by suicide is another whole thread in itself.
I have prayed for love ones who were suffering and they were not healed. Yet, God had His reasons and through time I was able to come to an understanding.
I as well firmly believe we must pray with faith and believing but most certainly with asking God that His Will be done and not our own.
God expects us to pray without ceasing for ourselves and for others. How those prayers turn out is in the hands of God and He has a plan and a purpose for everything that happens. Everything can be used to the glory of God and to the purpose of His will.
D
When I first became disabled by chronic pain... well, okay, when I first realized I wasn't going to be healed from chronic pain, and the pain may well last a lifetime, I read Lewis's book. Couldn't get past the first 47 pages. His premise was wrong, so never figured out what his summary was.
Ultimately, that means I have a problem with The Problem with Pain. lol
That said, since then, I've read things that help me put it in prospective. Ultimately, there are no good people, so the real surprise is God loves us and helps us knowing we're not good people. He does it because he chooses who to save out of the entire group of bad people. Not out of what we deserve. In reality we deserve punishment. He does it out of his love and mercy.
Ultimately, that means I have a problem with The Problem with Pain. lol
That said, since then, I've read things that help me put it in prospective. Ultimately, there are no good people, so the real surprise is God loves us and helps us knowing we're not good people. He does it because he chooses who to save out of the entire group of bad people. Not out of what we deserve. In reality we deserve punishment. He does it out of his love and mercy.
D
There is a way to always get Yes from our prayers. Ask for God's will in all things. Guaranteed he will give a Yes to that, even when we don't get the expected outcome. (Personally, after all these years with the Lord, I am shocked at the few times he did give me a Yes in the way I thought he'd give it. It just happens so rarely, it shocks me. lol)
Depleted, I'm so sorry for your chronic pain and disability. Joni Erickson Tada is someone who always puts me in awe with her testimony when I hear her speak or read her books. I don't know what you mean by C.S. Lewis' premise being wrong but no matter, we all have books or testimonies that speak to us more particularly at times in our lives. Too true, none of us are worthy, but He desires fellowship with us. I think we die to our flesh through our sufferings and are made into people who are better suited to be in fellowship with him, love others, and ultimately prepared for what He has for us in eternity. One day we'll understand.
Sometimes we have to suffer through an Illness or a Traumatic event to grow our Faith and come Closer to God. Some people are so hard in heart that without suffering they would never come to God. Others are so close to God that when they suffer they are Perfect examples of Faith and that what they believe in Jesus is true. They bring others to faith in how they handle their afflictions. All afflictions to Christians have a purpose up to and including taking us home when we pass away.
All for the Glory of God Amen.
All for the Glory of God Amen.
D
If the definition of good is to love God fully and love others as yourself, then how are there good people apart from God? Even in the Lord, I sometimes find myself doing good for self-serving purposes. ("I'll feel good if I give the homeless person a little bit of my money" kind of thing.) The only good we ever do is what God does through us.