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The Ministry of Health and Healing
knows whether their lives would be a blessing or a curse to them-
selves and to the world. This is one reason why, while presenting
our petitions with earnestness, we should say, “Nevertheless not my
will, but Yours, be done.”
Luke 22:42
. Jesus added these words of
submission to the wisdom and will of God when in the Garden of
Gethsemane He pleaded, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup
pass from Me.”
Matthew 26:39
. And if they were appropriate for
Him, the Son of God, how much more appropriate are they on the
lips of finite, erring mortals!
The consistent course is to commit our desires to our all-wise
heavenly Father, and then, in perfect confidence, trust all to Him.
We know that God hears us if we ask according to His will. But
to press our petitions without a submissive spirit is not right. Our
prayers must take the form, not of command, but of intercession.
There are cases where God works decidedly by His divine power
in the restoration of health. But not all the sick are healed. Many are
laid away to sleep in Jesus. John on the Isle of Patmos was bidden to
write: ““‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’”
‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their
works follow them.’”
Revelation 14:13
. From this we see that if
persons are not raised to health, they should not on this account be
judged as lacking in faith.
We all desire immediate and direct answers to our prayers and
are tempted to become discouraged when the answer is delayed or
comes in an unlooked-for form. But God is too wise and too good
to answer our prayers always at just the time and in just the way we
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desire. He will do more and better for us than to accomplish all our
wishes. And because we can trust His wisdom and love, we should
not ask Him to concede to our will but should seek to enter into and
accomplish His purpose. Our desires and interests should be lost in
His will. These experiences that test faith are for our benefit. They
reveal whether our faith is true and sincere, resting on the Word of
God alone, or whether, depending on circumstances, it is uncertain
and changeable. Faith is strengthened by exercise. We must let
patience have its perfect work, remembering that there are precious
promises in the Scriptures for those who wait upon the Lord.
Not all understand these principles. Many who seek the Lord’s
healing mercy think that they must have a direct and immediate