Amy was still unmarried, but had recently delivered a healthy baby. She was now in the midst of continual fits of anguish with loud uncontrollable crying jags. I sought further facts on the premise of knowing how to pray for her and gathering an explanation. She was understandably distraught with regret for the passions and shame of all the associated events which shrouded her in thick darkness, except for the light surrounding the innocent baby who lay in her arms fully deserving of a mother’s love.

The preacher was in a crisis of leadership whether he knew it or not. His words were strained by an unusual lack of confidence and he struggled to convey his understanding about an issue he had harbored for many years. It wasn’t directly in the text associated with his sermon, but there was an opening to address it. “Beware of these faith healers,” he admonished, “if they were right about healing no one would ever die.” Since he had brought it up, he felt the need to clarify further lest any  confusion arises to create problems in the congregation. Several member families were now experiencing extremely critical health issues. He explained how the church should pray on the premise that further facts would provide a reason for them to do so.

These two scenarios have very little factual similarity, but they have much in common. In each there is a crisis of faith, brought about by human passions and feeling. Both subjects reaped that which they sowed with considerable effort and intention and it produced a darkness of its own kind. They struggled to reconcile the circumstances, but no human effort, reasoning, emotion, rationalization or analysis of the facts can dispel what only light can do. We can’t reconcile sickness though we try and link it to behavior, of which we are so familiar. Yes, certain medicine and right behavior can often restore health or appear to; the issue is not healing, but faith.

When we return by faith to Yeshua from whom all our faith originates, enables, and resides, then all things are made right. The product of our waywardness is understood and embraced so that we can move forward in blessing. The error of our willfulness is enlightened in the light so that truth is proclaimed. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” (John 3: 17-21).

God redeems His chosen children and watches over His word to perform it. He destroys the works of the enemy and leads his sheep in green pastures beside still waters. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”. (Romans 8: 28).