Does praying for sick people to get better seem problematic to you?

Question

Consider a kid with cancer. The kid is young and innocent and hasn't had time to commit any sins. But he or she is dying of cancer. Why would you pray for their recovery? Doesn't God know the situation already? Are your prayers going to change his "Plan" about what to do with this kid?

I understand the human need to pray for the sick but do you really think God is going to think "Opps, forgot about poor Joey - I'd better get right on that!!!"

I mean this question seriously - it is something that really bothers me.

Answer 1

People get better because there are people gathered around them who care. God isn't involved.

Answer 2

God know of the situation. God also tells us to pray for the needy. God implies that ferverant prayer gets answered. I kind of thik of it as a way to change God mind as to if God is planning to intervene or not. From God's view the eternal outcome of the current circumstance may be good but if we bug God enough that we do not like the current circumstance God will take the time to figure a way to change the current and still keep eternity good.

Kinda a if we show we love something, because God loves us God will make things better because we asked God to.

Answer 3

God does change his mind. He changed his mind with Uzziah in the book of Isaiah. He told Uzziah that he was going to die...Uzziah prayed and God changed his mind and gave him ten more years. Just because God has a plan in mind doesn't mean he won't listen to requests and grant requests that aren't in his original plan.

Answer 4

I'M 35 YEARS OLD.

CAR ACCIDENT 5 YEARS AGO LEFT ME PARALYZED.

I'M A BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER FOR 2 YEARS NOW.

I WILL NEVER WALK AGAIN.

I PRAY TO JESUS THAT HE WILL CURE MY PARALYSIS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY DOCUMENTED CASES OF MIRACLES LIKE ME.

JUST THE THOUGHT THAT JESUS MIGHT HEAL ME,KEEPS ME GOING.

IF SOMEONE ON HERE SAID THAT THERE IS NO PROOF THAT GOD HEALS THE SICK,MY HEART WOULD BREAK.

ITS THE DREAM THAT KEEPS ME GOING.

PLEASE PRAY FOR ME.

MY NAME IS JOSEPH BY THE WAY.

GOD BLESS

Answer 5

The Bible says that God hears every prayer that is according to his will. Since He doesn't let us know ahead of time if it is in his will to heal a person supernaturally we pray in the hope that it is. As to God forgetting about poor little Joey, the Bible also speaks about God looking for people who will "stand in the gap" for others with prayer. It's like when Moses was leading the Israelites out of Egypt and God was going to destroy them but Moses stood in the gap and got Him to relent.

Exodus 32:9 And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you." 11 But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.'" 14 And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

Also we have the example of Hezekiah.

Isaiah 38:1 In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover." 2 Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 3 and said, "Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 5 "Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.

Last of all we have the story of Jesus healing someone because of their friends faith so if little Joey isn't a believer we who are of faith can pray for him.

Mark 2:3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--he said to the paralytic-- 11 "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home." 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Answer 6

brenda is so so right. no god in the equation.... why do we have cancer anyway? what's the use of chemotherapy if prayers work?

Answer 7

I hate to break it to you, but there are some things Jesus and God don't want us to know until we go to heaven! (if you accept Him)