Bible Verses About Health And Healing

What does the Bible say about health? Does God care about our physical health and our lifestyles on earth? What if we have a chronic illness or mental health issues? What does God say about that? Let’s take a closer look at some Bible verses about health and see what they reveal.

Honor God with your body

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 This Bible verse shows us that we should do our best to eat and live well, making our lives honorable to Him. This includes exercising, screen time, healthy eating, sleeping well, as well as just looking after ourselves. So, do your best to honor Him in all things. Sometimes, though, sickness and ill health come and we can't avoid it.

We wait eagerly

First of all, we have to remember that we are still living in tension. We are saved but living in a fallen world. Romans 8 reminds us: “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Romans 8: 22-25 So, whilst we are saved, and are living in that salvation, we are also living in a fallen world. Things are not perfect and they never will be this side of heaven. There will always be sickness and tragedy on earth, and yet we live with the hope of heaven. [caption id="attachment_6110" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]

Photo by Lina Trochez on Unsplash.[/caption]

Does God always want to heal?

When we are praying, how do we know that it is always God’s will to heal? Well, in Matthew 6:10, Jesus taught us to pray with these words: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And we know that in heaven, “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). We can confidently pray, using this Bible verse about health to remind us that it is God’s will to heal because in heaven there is no sickness.

What if we don’t see the healing we pray for?

Sometimes we pray but don’t see healing. It is confusing and can leave us with many questions and doubts. I know this first hand as my daughter is Type One Diabetic. After she was diagnosed, I googled ‘healing from type one’ and I couldn’t find a case. We prayed intensely for her that God would reverse her diagnosis, or that it would be a mistake, but it is a condition that she still lives with today. A wonderful woman of God that I knew was killed in a car crash. My grandmother died of cancer. My uncle was an alcoholic. Like I said earlier, life is far from perfect on earth, but our consolation is that God hears our prayers, and He is with us in the valleys of our life. Psalm 23 encourages us that: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me”. We can confidently ask God for healing, and if we haven’t seen it yet, we can keep on asking for it. Not with a desperation that makes our earthly life miserable, but with a grace that says, “God, I ask You to take this from me, and if You do not, I ask You to help me to bear it”. In the parable of the Persistent Widow, Jesus invites us to be “ever-knocking”, as she is: “And will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night? Will He keep putting them off?” Luke 18:7

Jesus, our perfect example

Of course, our perfect example of how to live on earth comes from Jesus, who spent His days on earth healing the sick, restoring the fallen, and loving those who thought they were unloveable. He taught us to ask God to intervene, and invited us to take our heavenly Father at His word. "Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9: 21-24

Healing is a gift

We have to remember that healing isn’t a code that we have to crack or a powerful act of faith that we muster up in ourselves, healing is God’s gift to give and all we have to do is ask. There is a quote from John Wimber, founder of the Vineyard Movement which I love. When asked about his healing ministry, he said: “I just stick out my fat hand and say, 'Come, Holy Spirit'." I love this so much, the point being that it wasn't about him, it was all on God. And likewise, when we lay on hands, we are acting as a conduit for God’s power, should He choose to use us, and if He should choose not to, that is ok too. Like many other questions in faith, healing is a mystery. We can't always understand God's ways, but I do know this – He is faithful, He is with us in the valley and on the peaks, and He is a loving Father. I hope these Bible verses about health encourage you to seek and pray for healing today. If you are struggling with mental health, check out these blogs on depression and anxiety and seek medical advice if you are struggling to cope.