Divine Healing Conclusions and Reflections

Healthy Attitudes

This is my final post in the series on divine healing and psychology. I draw some tentative conclusions and offer some thoughts.

As seen in the first post (Part 1 on 5 February), a large percentage of Christians pray for healing. They believe in miracles and they believe God can guide professionals in diagnoses and treatment.

In general, I find the Barna definition of miracles helpful. A miracle healing is one that could not be explained by medical intervention or natural processes.

Christians attribute healing to God even when they have consulted professionals, which means most testimonies of divine healing are matters of belief that inspire believers and not events subject to public investigation.

I use the term "divine healing" to include miracles as defined above and I consider the terms "faith healing" and "supernatural healing" as equivalent to divine healing.

I include mental illness with other illnesses because I affirm the common teaching that everything psychological is also something biological. We are wholes. I've written more about this elsewhere in the SCOPES model, which is a biopsychosocial model. For those with a Christian worldview, the approach becomes a theobiopsychosocial worldview.

Healing Metaphors

Healing has come to be used as a metaphor, which I think is important to recognize when people talk about healing.

Healing of memories, relationships, and undesirable personality characteristics is not like healing from cancer but Christians speak and write as if prayers to God can result in “healing” of these matters.

Some Christians believe people who do not identify as male or female with matching gender and heterosexual interests can be cured. This belief in the possibility of “converting” a person’s gender or sexuality seems to have lessened recently but continues despite evidence that many have been hurt by “conversion therapies.” See part 4 for more on this topic.

Reliability of Faith Healing

It is hard to assess to what extent divine healing happens because people refer to healing in many ways. Sometimes they mean miracles and sometimes they are thankful to God for a good outcome from surgery or recovery from an illness. And at other times they are using healing as a metaphor. I support an attitude of gratitude.

I have no need to challenge another person's beliefs about divine healing as long as they do not foist an unhealthy attitude influencing people to refuse evidence-based medical care.

Faith healing or divine healing appears to be a rare event given that Christians continue to die of illnesses. Some Christians live with diseases and impairments for decades. Some Christians have lifelong medical conditions. If you drive past church parking lots on Sunday, you will see evidence that “Handicapped Parking” slots are used—those who park there have not been healed.

In short, there is no guarantee that prayer for healing results in healing.

The pursuit of divine healing can be detrimental to health if reliable treatments may be easily obtained but are ignored in the quest for a special intervention from God. Ignoring heart disease, deadly viruses, and the treatment of depression can be deadly.

When divine healing fails to occur, those who believe strongly in divine healing can become discouraged or experience a spiritual struggle (see part 2).

At times, the absence of expected divine healing can lead to depression and anger with God.

What people believe and expect when they pray for healing appears of high importance in coping with the lack of healing.

To Your Health

Prayer appears to help those who have a humble attitude. That is, instead of demanding that God honor an interpretation of an old text about someone who lived thousands of years ago, Christians with a healthy attitude take a humble stance like “your will be done.”

Christians with healthy attitudes can also appreciate the kindness of friends who offer prayers and words of support.

Healthy attitudes can prevail when we struggle with other illnesses. I hope I can remember this.

As with most life events, the view we take of them can inhibit or promote wellness.

Part 1 Divine Healing: Observations and Research

Part 2 When prayers for healing fail

Part 3 Divine healing and mental health

Part 4: Divine Healing and LGBTQIA+

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