Spiritual and Religious Coping
It is
obvious that Christians are ill, disabled, and die of some illness every day
despite prayers for healing. The persistent prayer for divine healing can be
quite distressing especially for people who are taught that healing is for all
believers. An oft quoted verse is “by His stripes ye were healed (1 Peter
2:24).”
There isn’t a lot of empirical research on healing and how people cope with the lack of healing. Candy Gunther Brown (2012) found that Christians who were not healed still appreciated the prayers. Previously, I looked at what divine healing means.
In this post I look at common answers Christian leaders offer to
Christians who have prayed for divine healing but have not been healed. And I
look at the psychology of spiritual and religious struggles that may occur when expected healing does not happen.
See Part 1 for the Introduction.
How
Christian Leaders Respond to Questions About Failed Healing
God’s
Will. A general response
to the lack of healing is that healing may not be God’s will for a particular
person or at a specific time. Theologians often mention God’s sovereignty in
this context (e.g., Yarbrough, 2004). This comment is generally placed in the
context that God loves them, which may not seem evident if one pits the belief
that God can heal but God did not heal (see for example Village, 2005).
God’s
Purpose. Some
Christians believe that spiritual growth can come from dealing with pain and
suffering. See for example the Church of England author, C.S. Lewis work, The Problem of Pain.
Faith. Some Christians have experienced
worry or feelings of guilt when their prayers have not been answered. There is
a belief that some are not healed because of lack of faith. This “lack of
faith” teaching if often identified as a false belief by those who want to show
compassion and avoid making the person feel worse.
Sin. The presence of sin is sometimes
mentioned as a reason why a Christian has not been healed. In Exodus 15.26 (NIV), God required obedience
to avoid suffering the diseases he sent on the Egyptians and in the final
phrase, the writer quotes God: “I am the Lord who heals you.” The theological
cure requires confession of sin and repentance before a Christian can expect
prayer for healing to be effective.
Demonic. Some Christians view the devil and
demons as invisible yet powerful supernatural beings that can cause illness and
suffering. They can point to scriptures like Luke 13. 10-13; Acts 10.38, and 2
Corinthians 12.7 to support their beliefs. The theological cure is an exorcism
or deliverance, which depends on the teaching of the faith community. I cover
this topic in a separate chapter in Counseling and Psychotherapy with
Pentecostal and Charismatic Christian (2020).
Grace. When prayers do not result in the
desired relief, they are advised that God’s grace is sufficient. They are often
reminded that the apostle Paul prayed for removal of a “thorn in the flesh”
three times without relief (2 Corinthians 1.18). In my experience, many in the
charismatic movement have had difficulty with the idea of suffering being a
part of God’s will for their lives.
Deny Experience. Christians may be advised not to
trust their experiences that suggest God is not at work when they are not healed.
For example, Yarbrough (2004) reminded readers of the experience of those at
Jesus’ crucifixion who would later experience God’s greatest work in the
resurrection.
Time’s Up. There is a common belief among
Christians that their time on earth is limited and subject to God’s will. This
belief is expressed as “My time is up” or “My number is up.” Thus, when God
does not heal and death is pending, the idea of God’s Time suggests it is
reasonable to accept and submit to the will of God. I recall the strident words
of a friend of an aged Pentecostal pastor who appeared accepting of his pending
death and declined additional treatments. The friend was disinclined to
consider the idea of “a time to die” as he publicly reminded the pastor of God’s
power to heal but I sensed the pastor had accepted his state and all reports
were that he died peacefully surrounded by loving family.
Psychology of Coping
Christians
may accept one or more of the aforementioned answers if they have questions
about why God has not healed them in response to prayer for healing.
Alternatively, they may find other suggestions to accept the lack of healing.
However, some may experience a spiritual struggle when they are not healed
despite prayer.
There is a
long history of research documenting the important role of religion or
spirituality in helping people cope with negative life events. In general,
research indicates that in addition to other coping strategies, spiritual or religious
coping adds an additional benefit. Much of the work on coping is associated with
the work of Ken Pargament and
his colleagues. A part of the notion of spiritual coping is that people are
actively motivated to deal with their situation and their spiritual/religious beliefs
and support system are resources they draw upon in the process of coping.
The psychology of religious or spiritual coping encompasses the study of ways people draw upon their faith to help deal with stressful experiences. Some outcomes are positive and some are not. Five basic functions were noted as:
Read more about religious and spiritual coping.
Julie Exline and her colleagues (2021) looked at how people behave toward God when they are struggling in their relationship with God. They found four types of responses: Approach, disengagement, protest, and suppression. I am suggesting that these findings might help understand psychological aspects of coping with the lack of healing when they prayed with the expectation that they would be healed.
Approach. Christians may approach God in
various ways such asking for help, trying to increase their trust in Him, and
praising his faithfulness. I often see posts of social media quoting Bible
verses encouraging trust or reminding readers of God’s faithfulness. Any
improvement in health results in expressions of gratitude. Their faith has been
strengthened.
Disengagement. One way to resolve a conflict is
to walk away from the experience. Disengagement may take passive or active
modes. That is, some may just cut back on their interactions with God such as
their prayer life and worship. Others may be more rebellious or openly
rejecting of God. They may doubt God’s existence as they give up on faith. I
recall a young person expressing appreciation for her congregation as she said
she no longer considers herself a Christian.
Protest. In the author’s language, protest
equates to lament. Lament can include questioning God and complaining as can be
found in the Bible. But it can also become hostile and aggressive so protest is
quite mixed. I recall a woman who expected God to heal her as she believed He
had in the past. She became very angry but her expression came out in loudly
voiced “Why?” “Why did God let this happen?”
Suppression. In suppression, people avoid
dealing with their negative feelings toward God. They may try to ignore them or
consider the feelings to be wrong.
Christian
leaders offer a variety of reasons to help Christians deal with the lack of healing
despite their sincere prayers for recovery. Those who identify as charismatic
or Pentecostal may be particularly distressed given the high expectations that
God wants His people to be healthy and has provided for their healing in Jesus' death on the cross.
One of the
most common reasons is the teaching that God is sovereign. What happens is
always God’s Will. Other reasons may lead to spiritual and emotional distress
such as the quest to discover what personal sins might be a barrier to healing
or how to have enough faith.
Psychologists
have studied the role of faith in healing and found that faith plays a
significant part in helping (or not helping) people cope with various negative
life experiences, including perceived problems in their relationship with God. When divine healing does not materialize, there is a potential for a spiritual struggle. Research suggests that four categories of behavior toward God may account for how Christians react.
References
Blazer, D. G., Cohen, H. J., George, L. K., Koenig, H. G.,
& Verhey, A. (2011). Why John wasn’t healed by prayer: Perspectives across
discipline. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 42(4),
377–391. https://doi.org/10.2190/PM.42.4.d
Exline, J. J., Wilt, J. A., Stauner, N., & Pargament, K.
I. (2021). Approach, disengagement, protest, and suppression: Four behaviors
toward God in the context of religious/spiritual struggle. Psychology
of Religion and Spirituality. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000445.supp
(Supplemental)
Mansfield, C. J., Mitchell, J., & King, D. E. (2002). The doctor as God's mechanic? Beliefs in the Southeastern United States. Social Science and Medicine, 54, 399-409.
Shields, T. D., Miller, M. K., & Yelderman, L. A.
(2018). Relationships between religious characteristics and response to legal
action against parents who choose faith healing practices for their
children. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 10(1),
88–93. https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000131.supp (Supplemental)
Village, A. (2005). Dimensions of belief about miraculous healing. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 8(2), 97–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/1367467042000240374
Yarbrough, M. M. (2004). When God doesn’t heal: why doesn’t God cure everyone who prays fervently for healing? Christianity Today, 48(9), 80.Suggested book:
Counseling and psychotherapy with Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians
Notes
For a published case study of a case exploring how a family dealt with someone who was not healed despite much prayer, see Blazer et al. (2011).
Legal issues can arise when people choose faith healing instead of evidenced-based scientific treatments. A study found people more willing to punish parents who refused medical treatment in favor of faith healing when the child’s illness was incurable. (See Shields et al. (2018).
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Part 2 When Divine Healing Fails
See Part 3 Divine Healing and Mental Health.
See Part 4: Divine Healing and LGBTQIA+
Related Books
Testing Prayer by Candy Gunther Brown
Handbook of the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality
Working with Spiritual Struggles in Psychotherapy
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