The Mystery Of Uncertainty (John Wimber)

The Mystery Of Uncertainty

Living in uncertainty is the vehicle through which the Lord shapes us into holy, mature people, and the means by which he draws us closer to himself as our truest resource. In order to manage the pain that invariably comes our way, we must focus our attention on the Lord and trust in his sovereignty, knowing that he has our circumstances under his control. When we go to him in prayer, he promises his peace, which relieves the inner turmoil that accompanies our struggles.

Living in uncertainty also means that we may find ourselves questioning God, his ways, and his plans. In some cases, this may be a new and disillusioning experience for a believer. The mystery we each come to recognize is that our experience does not match our expectations of God.

Sometimes our experiences don’t fit with our understanding of what the Bible teaches. We wonder why some faithful Christians experience unrelenting financial pressure, while others enjoy continuous prosperity. Why do some people live and others die, even after we pray for their healing? We feel perplexed by these apparent paradoxes. Hopefully, these uncertainties drive us to a greater exploration of the Bible.

Jesus commanded his disciples, and eventually the entire church through the ages, to, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, and drive out demons.” The grammar here is very strident in the Greek. He didn’t send us out simply to pray for the sick. He says forcibly, “Heal the sick.”

Yet, our experience tells us that this is not always the result of our prayers. Why would God command us to heal the sick, and then choose not to back up our act, so to speak, by not always healing the person for whom we pray? This experience can be downright discouraging.

Uncertain of how God will respond to our prayers, we sometimes withdraw from practicing his commands. Others drum up a false bravado to convince God to do what they think he ought to do. Neither posture is correct. On the one hand, we know that God is sovereign and that he sent Jesus to commission us to pray for and heal the sick. On the other hand, we know from experience that healing does not always occur. This is the mystery.

Our part is to obey his commands, and his part is to execute his will. We know his will. His will is the Book. Still, his Book doesn’t tell us which people he will heal or not heal, and he has the sovereign choice concerning each and every person for whom we pray. Will he heal, or extend grace for suffering instead? Will he grant healing at a later time? Is there another factor hindering the prayer for healing, such as demonic opposition or the lack of unity in the church? These kinds of issues are real and leave us where we began; we must trust God to make the sovereign choices for our lives.

His Word helps us to live with the mystery that, although we want to see all of our hurts made well, he sometimes allows struggles and hardships for his purposes. He has seasons and times for the experiences of our lives, and we can’t alter that truth. We need to accept it.

God’s responses to prayers offered for healing have varying results. But the bottom line is always his sovereignty. There are times when our faith does make a difference in God’s responsiveness to our prayers. The mystery lies in the fact that it is God who gives the gift of faith for the specific instance that he chooses.

Whether God’s timing includes healing or not is determined by his sovereign will — which is always right. There is immeasurable peace when we yield our need to control and understand his ways. We can rest in the assurance that God is just and merciful. Whatever he chooses is the best thing for the person for whom we pray, whether or not he or she is healed. This, too, is part of the mystery.

John Wimber, Living With Uncertainty (Anaheim: Vineyard Ministries International, 1996), 11-14.

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