From the archives of Oral Roberts
A person once wrote to me and said, “Brother Roberts, I believe Jesus can heal, but I am still not well. Why is God punishing me?” This kind of thinking breeds doubt, skepticism, and often bitterness toward God. How can we believe God to heal our sickness if we believe He sent it to us? Some people think that every pain or misfortune is God punishing them. This is directly opposite to right believing and the proper understanding of God.
I remember a young man I prayed for who was afflicted with multiple sclerosis. He said, “Brother Roberts, I was convinced that God was punishing me through my affliction until I heard you preach that God is a good God. Now I know that He wants to heal me.”
This change in the man’s thinking was essential to his healing, for he was persuaded that God was punishing him and that he deserved it. He had to be healed in his thinking before God could heal his body. When he responded to the Word, he was able to change his thinking and start believing that God is good. His skepticism dissolved and was replaced with hope and the faith that God wanted to heal him. He walked away without any assistance. I believe the removal of the God-is-punishing-me myth was important to his recovery.
If God punished sin with sickness, we would all be sick: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Roman 3:23). God does not put sickness on us, but He comes as the Great Physician to make us whole and well.