The Tribune

By Rev. Angela C. Bosfield

Palacious

There is much pain and brokenness in today’s world. If we refuse to remain in this state, we will be motivated to seek our own healing, and ultimately the healing of our nation.

James 5: 13-16 (NIV) says: “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgive. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” We can all experience forgiveness, and healing to some degree, if we open ourselves to the healing presence of the Lord.

Healing of the body is very obvious, and many lame do walk, blind do come to see and deaf hear. At healing conferences and service, persons share testimonies of the healing power of prayer. Medication can be a gift from the Lord in certain situations, but prevention is still better than cure.

Healing of the mind comes as we pray for a renewed mind so as to have the mind of Christ on certain topics and in difficult circumstances. Anxiety is replaced by peace, and distress with joy. As we concentrate on the words of scripture and listen to the voice of God, we come to see the broader picture and respond accordingly.

Healing of the spirit occurs at a deeper level, where wounds are often hidden even from ourselves. Prayers for the healing of memories and emotions help us to disconnect the negative effect of the past from our present relationships and allow us to become the new creation that Christ’s death on the cross offers, and Easter confirms. Feelings of being unloved, unwanted, rejected or abandoned, are replaced with the sense of belonging to a loving God who cares for us unconditionally.

Healing of the family from generational sins is yet another level of prayer for the past as we seek to sever ties with old behaviours and mindsets that have crippled the family for many years. Feelings of being trapped in a cycle can be overcome with prayer to set the family free, especially when more than one person is open to the change.

Forgiveness is a form of healing which reconciles us to God, each other and our own self. It removes guilt and shame, it dissolves anger and bitterness. It is truly by God’s grace that this can occur.

Sickness and sin may be combined in cases of gluttony that leads to obesity, excessive drinking that leads to alcoholism, promiscuity that ends in various diseases, and psychosomatic illnesses that come from unhealed emotions like anger and bitterness.

Prayer is the key. A consistently intimate approach to God that involves reverently listening, honestly sharing, and quietly waiting in silence with the Lord are key factors in developing a disciplined spiritual life, along with the study of scripture and engagement in meaningful ministry. In this most Holy Week, why not accept God’s offer of forgiveness and healing and start to live an abundant life?