Tags
A.W. Tozer, being born again, Carl Gustav Jung, darkness, following Jesus, John of the Cross, light, psychology, spiritual power, the cross, the dark night of the senses, the dark night of the soul, the dark night of the spirit, the narrow way, the strait gate
Now this is a silly question, Susanne! Through the whole Bible we find witnesses who were healed by God, especially in the New Testament. “Yes… but today?” Having been tortured by many sicknesses all my life, my faith in being healed by God is not the strongest, as I need to honestly admit. However, I have had a few healing experiences during the last year which caused my mustard seed faith to increase a bit. 😉
Apropos Bible, I was just thinking of the situation where Jesus healed a certain woman who had been sick for a very long time. Let’s take a closer look at that special event.
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.”
And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.”
Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?”
As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. (Lk 13:10-17 ESV)
Hmm… Is Jesus Christ really the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb 13:8)? Is He? It is written he is, but how many of us have experienced the truth of what was written such a long time ago? I thought I could share with you a challenging devotional by A.W. Tozer in which he reminds us of who our great physician really is.
The Great Physician
If you are a discouraged and defeated Christian believer, you may have accepted the rationalization that your condition is “normal for all Christians.” You may now be content with the position that the progressive, victorious Christian life may be suitable for a few Christian but not for you! You have been to Bible conferences; you have been to the altar, but the blessings are for someone else. That attitude on the part of Christian believers is neither modesty nor meekness; it is a chronic discouragement, resulting from unbelief. It is rather like those who have been sick for so long that they no longer believe they can get well. Jesus is still saying, as He said to the man lying by the gate at the Jerusalem pool, “Do you want to be made whole?” Jesus made him whole because of his desire! His need was great, but he had never lapsed into that state of chronic discouragement.
http://www.cmalliance.org/devotions/tozer?id=193
Are we too discouraged, dear brothers and sisters? Or do we believe that God can heal some sicknesses, but not necessarily ALL of them, in particular not ours or these of those who we love?
Well, during those years when I tried to find out why I had suddenly suffered from bipolar disease in 2000 (with longer interruptions until 2008), I read a lot of psychological literature. What intrigued me immensely was the way Carl Gustav Jung, the famous Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist, described the way we as human beings should progress until we reach the goal of being “whole”. I would call this wholeness when a man or woman both know how to wisely use their left brain (reason and logic), but also have an open heart for everyone (referred to as right brain), even for themselves. 😉 Jung called this path individuation. Although Jung, in my humble opinion, had not yet found the perfect “means” to achieve that goal finally (which is Christ in us and we in Him), yet he, with much apropos, explained exactly the way God dealt with me when HE led me through my two dark nights of the soul (i.e., The Dark Night of the Senses and The Dark Night of the Spirit). The Bible, by the way, calls these “taking up our cross” (Mt 8:34, for example) or even more precisely, “the strait gate” (the first night according to John of the Cross) and “the narrow way that leads to life” (the second night) – see Matthew 7:14 KJV. I would like to add that taking up the cross and following Jesus in this means dying to our old self completely so that a new creation comes forth that was born from above through His resurrection power.
Furthermore, what Jung found out, too, was that the majority of crises people had to struggle with had to do with a lack of personal faith and trust. When God makes us eventually completely one with Himself, I believe, we will have reached the full spiritual and mental human potential God has had in store for us. Maybe, the body profits from the healing of our souls during this process too since as the saying goes, “Orandum est, ut sit mens sana in corpore”, or in other words, “Pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body” [translation from Latin mine].
Below is an excerpt that describes in a few words what individuation is all about.
Individuation
According to Jungian psychology, individuation is the process of transforming one’s psyche by bringing the personal and collective unconscious into conscious.
Individuation has a holistic healing effect on the person, both mentally and physically.
Individuation is a process of psychological differentiation, having for its goal the development of the individual personality. In general, it is the process by which individual beings are formed and differentiated; in particular, it is the development of the psychological individual as a being distinct from the general, collective psychology.
Besides achieving physical and mental health, people who have advanced towards individuation, they tend to become harmonious, mature, responsible, they promote freedom and justice and have a good understanding about the workings of human nature and the universe.
http://www.mindstructures.com/carl-jung-individuation-process/
Michael said:
Jung speaks of Individuation as a process of psychological differentiation, having for its goal the development of the individual personality. Hmmmm. That could be and I can say that often these individual personalities are like those trees at the top of your article, Susanne, all gnarly and not so pretty. BUT my hope is in the Tree of Life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. Like Paul put it,
“And that he [Christ] died for all, that they who live should no longer live unto themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again. Therefore from now on know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet from now on know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:15-17 KJ2000)
Can we dare to believe it? Is becoming a “NEW Creation” just for the “super Christians” and not for us or our loved ones, like the healings you speak of in the opening of your blog? No, dear sister, I think we are starting to see the power of His healing in not only our bodies, but our souls as well, in spite of our doubts. Or as Paul put it,
“May the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 RSVA)
“If we believe not, yet he abides faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13 KJ2000)
I thank God for His faithfulness to see us through to the end for He knows our end from the beginning and in that there is great hope. I also thank Him for the wonderful work He is doing in you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Maybe I understand Jung a bit differently, dear Michael.
For me, individuality is not a bad thing if it is Christ’s Spirit that indwells and guides us. Indeed, it was God who created us as individuals, not clones (I am rather sure you will agree here). I did not think of individuality in terms of separating ourselves from others in order to realize our full potential at the expense of them.
As for God healing our bodies and souls, doesn’t it all depend on the faith He has given us? Unlike Tozer above, I would not “accuse” anyone of unbelief if he or she is not yet able to believe in divine healing. But if there is one thing I know, though, then that eventually all good things will come from above.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Pat Orr said:
I believe that God can heal, and does heal. Yet, I need to be healed. Obviously, I don’t have the faith to be healed. The problem is not on God’s part.
I did not understand what Jung was saying.
Thank you for the blog. I appreciate reading it.
Love,
Pat Orr
LikeLiked by 2 people
James said:
There are different aspects to faith, but not believing in divine healing would be a degree of unbelief in my opinion. But I think I know what you mean, it might be harsh if we point the finger at someone and say “you lack faith”, for whatever reason.
I remember an American Christian who came to a church I was at – he’d had experience of Pentecostal Christians condemning him for lack of faith because he wasn’t healed of Diabetes. I sincerely believe he was a genuine Christian seeking God. He even believed in healing, but still had Diabetes of course.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Oh boy, I experienced very similar things in Pentecostal circles, James. There was so much nonsense that was “believed”, it could make your hair stand on end. 😛 It was common to be accused when you got sick, that is, of not having had enough faith to regain a healthy condition. Thus a lot of spiritual damage was done to many souls. That is not God’s way of dealing with what they had called “unbelief”.
I think the more often one has been healed by God, the greater their faith, don’t you think? 🙄
LikeLiked by 2 people
Michael said:
Yes, Susanne and James, I have seen these terrible guilt trips put on the sick by hyper-faith people because when they prayed for the sick person to be heal, nothing happened! To save their pride these people heaped guilt on the one that was sick only adding to their afflictions. This really sucks and I don’ think God is pleased, either!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Amen, Michael. You nailed it! ⭐
LikeLiked by 1 person
dimple said:
Suzanne,
In a comment you said, “He does not always heal. In some cases people die because of their diseases. Only God knows why…”
It helps me to remember that, although I know God always is able to heal our physical bodies, He also knows what is best for everyone concerned.
Paul said: 2Co 5:6 Being therefore always of good courage, and knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord
2Co 5:7 (for we walk by faith, not by sight);
2Co 5:8 we are of good courage, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be at home with the Lord. (ASV)
And: Php 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Php 1:22 But if to live in the flesh, – if this shall bring fruit from my work, then what I shall choose I know not.
Php 1:23 But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better:
Php 1:24 yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake. (ASV)
So, since this world and the things in it are passing away, and since we are sojourners here seeking a heavenly home, if we suffer mental or physical ills, it is only for the moment. And when we are healed, or when we are not healed, it is for the benefit of all, in order to bring all closer to God.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Oh, thank you very much, Louise. That was so wise of you to share your take on why some people are not healed. We also know that Paul and Timothy had some health problems, so it was no unusual back then, either.
Your response was really helpful regarding the post and our whole thread on here. Thanks again, so much! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Michael said:
Amen, Louise! Well put. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
James said:
Word of Faith is on my church denomination hate list lol. I presume it might? have started out good, but it must have become corrupted very fast as it seems to be the foundation of tv-preacher-christianity.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
You have a “church denomination hate list”? Never heard that before. Funny… 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thank you very much for sharing your testimony so detailed on here with us, Tim. Yes, being tired of churchianity is something I experienced too. And what has this world to offer us? Well, our home is in heaven.
As for your medication, in fact, lithium can affect the body very negatively until parts are paralyzed. I always rejected medication with such dangerous side effects. Something to calm the upset soul and mind, a tranquilizer, in some cases was all I ever took.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ken Dawson said:
Wow what a timely subject–I work at Oral Roberts University but I am not into their Pentecostal/crazymatic theology and at the same time I am under the care of a cardiologist for possible open heart surgery and I have emphysema in my lungs and I need a stent in my neck artery and I have an aneurism condition in my aorta and I have a hernia–all this is going on while the staff at ORU is praying for my healing–Now I shall need to mull this subject over more cautiously
LikeLiked by 2 people
Michael said:
Ken, I have seen God heal two women with terminal cancer after we prayed for them and one of them had some fantastic signs take place in her body as we did. That was 23 years ago and with pancreatic cancer she should have been dead in weeks. I also felt the power of her healing in my own hands at the time. But I do not call myself a healer. God is the healer when He sees fit. They were the ones who received “the gift of healing,” not me.
Father, please heal Ken. Amen.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Oh, dear Ken, I was so shocked to hear about your severe health problems!!! 😮
You can be sure that you are from now on in my heart and prayers regarding your healing. I admit I am relieved to hear that others are praying for you too.
Every blessing to you from our Father and our Lord who are able to do everything!
Much love,
Susanne ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Nonetheless, Ken, “Pentecostal/crazymatic theology” made me grin. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
KENNETH DAWSON said:
Thanks Sue and Mike your comments were very encouraging
LikeLiked by 2 people
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
You’re very welcome, Ken. I am glad to hear you have been encouraged. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Michael said:
Me, too, Ken. Thumbs up!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Anna Waldherr said:
Some of us will be healed; others will wrestle with illnesses that are lifelong. This is not punishment. We all know how Job suffered, despite his favor with the Lord. Personally, I see the healing physicians facilitate as coming from God, as well. Medicine is a general blessing.
With love,
Anna ❤
LikeLiked by 2 people
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
“Some of us will be healed; others will wrestle with illnesses that are lifelong. This is not punishment. We all know how Job suffered, despite his favor with the Lord.”
Yes, Anna, very well said!! ⭐
I so agree with you that physicians and medicine are, in fact, a divine blessing too. Here is the confirmation from an extrabiblical source of which I always wondered why it had not been included in the regular canon of the Bible (only Catholics read this book, still).
http://catholic-bible.org/ecclesiasticus/ecclesiasticus-38.htm
Much love to you ❤
Susanne
LikeLiked by 2 people
Anna Waldherr said:
I’ve never come across that before. Very nice!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Susanne Schuberth (Germany) said:
Thank you, Anna! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person