Weekly Devotional: Jehovah-Rapha: What Does God’s Healing Look Like?

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Read time 5 minutes

Taylin Phillips

Published on Apr 5, 2024

O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me,

Psalm 30:2ESV

Have you ever felt discouraged about the Lord's ability to heal your wounds? Maybe your prayers for healing appear unanswered, and you're struggling with emotions of being lost or unworthy. Well, there’s good news coming your way.

In This Article:

Where Is God’s Healing Rooted?
What Does It Signify That Jehovah-Rapha Is God?
In What Ways Does God Heal as Jehovah-Rapha?
The Aspect of Trust
Jesus, Jairus and the Sick Woman
The Vulnerability of Healing

Where Is God’s Healing Rooted?

God's love is the foundation of his healing and restoration. It's a love that surpasses human comprehension, extending unconditionally to every individual, regardless of their past or present circumstances. This love is not based on merit or worthiness; rather, it flows from the very essence of God's character. It's a love that never fades, never fails, and never gives up. In the context of healing, God's love is the driving force behind his desire to see us whole and thriving. It's a love that heals the brokenhearted, comforts the grieving, and restores the lost. When we grasp the depth of God's love, we find solace, strength and hope during life's challenges.

What Does It Signify That Jehovah-Rapha Is God?

God being Jehovah-Rapha means he is the Lord who heals. In every aspect of our lives — physically, emotionally, spiritually — he is the mender of brokenness, the binder of wounds. Just as a skilled physician diagnoses and treats ailments, God knows our deepest hurts and offers restoration. His healing isn't merely superficial; it penetrates to the core, which brings a deep joy and renewal that only come from him. Trusting in Jehovah-Rapha means surrendering our brokenness to his care and believing in his power to restore and transform. Let's lean on him, seeking his healing touch in every area of our lives, knowing that in his presence, true healing is found.

Throughout your life, there will be hardships and trials — that’s a guarantee in this broken world. But the greatest news is that you never have to go through any of it alone — we have Jehovah-Rapha, “The Lord Who Heals.” Healing is such a hard thing to battle and deal with. Truthfully, there is no perfect remedy or action you can take that is going to fix everything momentarily. A lot of times we don’t want to be sat down and talked to or even talk about what is happening inside — and that is okay.

In What Ways Does God Heal as Jehovah-Rapha?

Sickness and infirmity (Psalm 41:3)
Healing from mental affliction (Jonah 2:5-7)
Spiritual fatigue (Psalm 23:3)
Emotional suffering (Psalm 147:3)
Anxiety or worry (John 14:27)

If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But truly God has listened: He has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me!

Psalm 66:18-20ESV

The Aspect of Trust

Healing doesn't just come from the act of prayer or surrender, but through trusting in God's divine purpose. Now that doesn’t exactly give you much comfort, does it? Most of the time that’s the opposite of what you want to hear. Not being able to understand or know God’s plan can be terrifying and confusing, and being asked to blindly have faith in something that is seemingly intangible is a tough thing to process when going through tragedy and hardships.

God doesn’t ask you not to mourn or feel your pain; he knows the hurt and he will weep with you. Jesus wept himself; God isn't a stranger to loss, he does understand. But he wants you to know you don’t have to go through alone, and that he is present with you, sitting by your side when tragedy and trials hit.

Jesus, Jairus and the Sick Woman

One of my favorite stories of healing in the Bible comes through an act of faith. In Mark 5, Jairus, a powerful man from the synagogue, arrives to see Jesus. Because Jairus was a religious leader, there was a great expectation of perfection that was placed upon the way he acted and presented himself everywhere he went. But Jairus had been carrying the weight of pain for too long — his young daughter was dying, and there was nothing he could do. Jairus knew of the miracles that Jesus had performed and not only believed Jesus could heal his daughter but knew it, too. The heaviness of this unbearable pain was more than Jairus could handle. So, he pleaded with Jesus, letting go of all appearance and obligation, for the savior to heal his daughter.

As Jesus went to the house of Jairus, people flocked to his side, everyone wanting to hear and walk with him. There was little room to move because of the crowd. All the sudden, Jesus asked, “Who has touched me?” The disciples thought he was being dramatic because the crowd around him was in such proximity. But Jesus was persistent, he felt his power leave him, and knew someone had intentionally touched him. Then a woman stepped forth, scared and trembling, fell at the feet of Jesus and told him the truth. Matthew 9:21, “for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I will be made well.” Her faith was so strong, that she knew healing would come by just touching a piece of clothing near him. The story continues in Mark with a messenger telling Jairus his daughter was gone, and the brokenhearted frustration of a hurting father. But Jesus was still in control, “Do not fear, only believe, and she will be well,” (Luke 8:50 ESV).

The Vulnerability of Healing

What a powerful story of surrender and hopeful faith. The sick woman didn’t even think she needed to touch his body, but just his garment. She had a faith and trust so deep, she knew there was power in his clothes. God will heal, and he will pull through. All that you must do is believe that he will and give him the room to work. Jairus, a figure of authority and respect within his community, finds himself stripped of pretense and protocol in his moment of need. His daughter's illness brings him to a place of raw vulnerability, where his only recourse is to turn to Jesus with surrendered faith. The ultimate moment of healing happens when you surrender to the vulnerability of letting all of pain go and letting Jesus sit with you in the midst of the storm.

In the midst of these intertwined narratives of pain, desperation and unwavering belief, Jesus emerges as a beacon of hope and compassion. His response to Jairus's anguish — "Do not fear, only believe" — echoes as a reminder of the power that faith has to overcome even the most difficult obstacles. Ultimately, this story reminds us that faith and trust aren't just passive beliefs; they are an active choice that brings us closer to healing and wholeness, even when circumstances seem bleak. It challenges us to let go of our facades of perfection and control, and to approach our Father with humility and trust, knowing that in him, all things are possible.

Grand Canyon University is dedicated to helping all the members of the GCU community grow and build a relationship with God. To learn more, read through our Christian identity and mission. To explore more about Spiritual Life here at GCU, browse through our other weekly devotionals or complete the form on this page to get started on your educational journey.

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Taylin Phillips

Marketing and Advertising Student