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Test Of Faith

I was reading through some other threads and thought about something that I wanted opinions on. As I said in another thread, I am adopted...I do not know much about my birth mother, and nothing of my birth father. I have epilepsy and something quite similar to cerebral palsy, but am not for certain that it is what I suffer from. I have had a weakness of the left side of my body my entire life and I also walk with a limp. One summer, when I had just graduated from high school, I went with my church youth group (Methodist), on a mission trip to Washington State. I had an amazing experience during that trip. I do not want to go on and on...so I will make this as short as possible but give you as much detail as I can so you can give me a true opinion. We had helped a preacher and his wife in a small town in Washington to fix up their small church. At the end of our time there, his wife told us of a youth rally they were having in Marrietta, WA. We decided to go as a "reward" for our hard work. The preacher's wife went with us and when we got there she started praying over me...she was pulling on my left leg and pushing on my right (my left leg is shorter by an inch or two). I started feeling all tingly and she told me to get up and see how I felt. I walked WITHOUT the limp and I let the whole huge group of people how much faith I had in the Lord. Well, all my friends in my youth group witnessed it and I was "normal" even the next day. It was a great feeling, and an amazing experience. What I want to know is what your opinion(s) is about why my "miracle" didn't last. Was this some sort of test or something?

Faith Test

I hate to be the bad seed in this argument because I truly feel your pain. I have have a family history of problems of this ilk, and feel bad for you. However, I feel worse that you had to feel the pang of having it taken away. Understand that believing in something can give you temporary respite or make you believe you are cured, the brain allows for this. But ultimately, when that great feeling goes away, so does the "miracle". And that remains the problem with most "miracles' they don't stay around because they aren't real. You can't believe this was a test because that would be utterly cruel to do to someone. No good and merciful god would heal you then take it away two days later. That would mean he wasn't good and merciful, but that he was cruel and mean. And ultimately, it can't be a test, because what greater glory can be served by having an ailment come back a day or so after it was healed? Who would suddenly follow a god who did that, they would either question his power or his goodness. Either way, it comes down to the last remaining logical conclusion, you weren't healed. Bad things happen to people and good things happen to people as a course of nature, not an act of god. You can't give glory for the good then not give credit for the bad. Either he actively works in life or he doesn't.

I grew up a fundamentalist christian myself and saw many people "healed" only to have to taken away. "It was a test" was a common explanation, but it makes zero sense if you think about it. And you can't take it as a test of faith, thats just cruel. God would then be saying "I'm going to heal you, then take it back and see if you still believe in me!" Now doesn't that sound like something very cruel, I mean, you already believed in him, and if god knows your heart, then he would have known your faith already, and he would have already known what you would be like after this incident since he knows everything, so what good would a test of faith be for any way?

Test Of Faith Revealed Bible The

Thank you Kon very much for responding to this post. It is something that is constantly on my mind. I do not claim to be the perfect Christian because yes there are LOTS of things in my life that could be changed for the better. At times, it seems that I lack faith in "God". However, I know what He has done for me and so no matter what people say or do...they can not take that away from me. I am the only one who can make that change. I just wanted another person's view on it, because the only people thus far that I have discussed it with, are people I am very close to. Again, I thank you for your response. I read and reread your post and completely agree with you. By the way, I do NOT see you as the bad seed in this discussion.

Faith Test

Hi Silverjade...I echo konquererz' empathy for what you are going through. I too have witnessed this type of faux-healing take place. I was brought to faith by one of these "faith healers". He taught me that God wanted us all to be without illness, deliriously happy all the time, and swimming in pools of cash. Though I never really bought that, seeing the suffering world, I was thankful that he did encourage me to read the Bible. This reading lead me away from his teaching.

Here's the deal...the Bible says that God is not an author of confusion and that He is a God of love. Since your experience only confused you and because there isn't a recorded incident where Jesus took someone's healing away, I cannot believe God would be cruel and take your healing away. I would attribute the experience to what konquererz mentioned about the capacities of the brain. I think these people work off that premise.

The "healings" I witnessed were usually done while gathered in groups. Everyone is praying, or chanting prayers or verses, even speaking in tongues. There is a tremendous energy in the room and it makes you feel that you can have anything you REALLY WANT. People walk away with temporary healing. The goal of the faith healer is to have you follow them, support them financially (usually their ministries are "for profit"), and rely on them rather than God. Anyone who states that a person who loses their faux-healing "lacked faith" or is "being tested" are both harsh and unfeeling. If these people are representatives for God, why do they deal in cruelty in telling people this? Do you recall Jesus every telling someone that?

Jesus said there would be many claiming fantastic works and calling him "Lord, Lord", but He would not know them. I believe these faith healers are who Jesus was talking about.

To your credit, Silverjade, you are both intelligent and wise in that rather than going back and following this preacher and his wife, you stood back and questioned the situation, analyzing it in comparison to what you know and what your faith tells you. Many people fall because of these healers.

Whether pastor, teacher, or regular "joe" like me, everyone has periods where they question their faith. It is human and totally normal. Sometimes we all hit periods where we lack faith. There are peaks and valleys, we just need to keep our focus the best we can.

Take care. I have already prayed for you. Keep the faith and God bless.

Otherman