No One Can Stand In The Way Of God’s Healing

No One Can Stand In The Way Of God’s Healing

One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. . . . And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus. Luke 5:17

Consider the scene described in today’s verse. Jesus was teaching, and the Pharisees were sitting nearby. They weren’t there to learn from the great teacher; they were there to catch him doing something against the law of Moses. Instead of absorbing his teaching, they took note of every infraction against the prevailing religious system of the day.

The verse tells us that God gave Jesus the power to heal. In fact, in the verses that follow, Jesus heals a paralyzed man. But consider for a moment how the Pharisees’ presence must have affected both Jesus and the crowd. Perhaps there were some who needed healing, but they were afraid to come forward because they knew the Pharisees were watching. And as Jesus taught and healed, he must have been aware of what the Pharisees were saying about him. The religious leaders should have done everything they could to help their fellow citizens receive healing. Instead, they actively worked against Jesus.

Are there people who have tried to block your healing? Has someone who should be on your side prevented you from getting the treatment you need?

These days, it seems that all the Pharisees work for insurance companies. The healing practice of medicine has never before seen such scrutiny.

Daily, if not hourly, I am drawn away from seeing patients in order to answer questions, fill out another prior authorization form, or defend why I have chosen a specific course of treatment. With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the expense and delay from these third-party adjudicators has escalated exponentially.

Have you and your doctor had to go to battle against these modern-day Pharisees? It can be very disheartening. The paperwork and phone calls can feel overwhelming to sick patients and their families. But keep faith in your health-care provider. He or she truly wants to see you get healthy. Don’t give up. Though it is often frustrating, I’ve found that persistence and reason can prevail.

Finally, remember that Jesus didn’t allow the Pharisees to prevent him from doing God’s healing work. If it is his will, he will heal you without their help.

TODAY’S RX

If you’re facing an insurance battle, pray for perseverance and keep on trusting.

Father, I take comfort in knowing that my healing process is in your hands. You alone know what stands before me, so I ask for patience and peace as I journey through.