Healing wisdom in this one. Thank you, Rich Mullins, for reminding us that faith without works is as useless as a screen door on a submarine! As a Christian with a chronic illness, how can we apply this healing wisdom?
Easy, we cannot always sit in our prayer closets and expect to be healed. Sometimes there is a ton of work involved. Don’t get me wrong, prayer closets are essential in our time with the Lord. We can have complete faith in Him while our feet are at work.
Faith without works is like diving underwater in a submarine and taking the drowning that will come with the screen door installed. It is inevitable. In time, we will drown from not having the proper equipment of a life and faith in Christ.
My point has more to do with healing prayer alone and not recognizing the glorious miracles of works. God created us with a brain, to use. When we have been chronically ill for so many years that we cannot count any longer, we have been prayed for faithfully, then why are we not willing to look at the possibility of works in the situation?
I am NOT talking about others works – helping us while we are ill.
I am NOT talking about our works – serving others more while we are ill.
I am talking about the work it takes to acknowledge that God moves in His own way, we do not all heal by prayer alone. With that acknowledgment comes the insight that we have to take action, for ourselves while walking with Christ on the healing journey.
The path of hard work it takes is incredible. There are so many working parts of our bodies that it usually feels like there is no possible way we can learn every switch and valve.
The work gets harder and harder, and of more value, as we move through this healing process. It is just plum hard to take total responsibility for our health, learn how our bodies are made, learn how to heal our bodies and take the day-to-day actions that require some of the hardest works of our lives.
It is easier to serve others than it is to serve ourselves. When we do not put this kind of hard work into action on our own bodies, we drain our physical resources to serve others. While being chronically ill, our ministries suffer; we do not have the energy or the compassion we used to have. It is taking everything in us to keep our own heads above water.
Don’t get shipwrecked!
Take action
Take Responsibility for your own health and healing with Jesus Christ as the captain of your ship.
- Start with prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide your steps and your thoughts.
- Move through the steps that the Holy Spirit leads you on. This will be different for every single person because God created us different from any other person on this earth.
- Ask for help when you need it. What is truly needed will be provided. This will help put “healing” into proper perspective. The drowning stays on the OUTSIDE of the submarine.
Don’t let your guard down. Humans are just that, human. Not all Christians will agree with your action steps. It is a typical “church belief” that healing simply comes by naming and claiming the healing that has been prayed for you. The belief goes on to be quite damaging when an ill person is made to believe that they do not have enough faith, that is why they are not healed yet. Check your Bible on that one. Keep scripture in context and see if you can find something that clearly states that particular “church belief.” Only God fully knows a person’s heart and how much faith they really have.
God’s greatest commandment is to love one another. Keep it that simple, don’t complicate it. Do we treat our children without love? Does God himself provide for the birds of the air more than He would for us? How do we show true love to others if we cannot love ourselves enough to take care of the bodies God gave us. Check your love meter. Close the hatch on your submarine and get to work. God loves you so much that He will guide you as you seek Him in prayer and works.
Are you drowning from a screen door on your submarine or are you taking responsibility for your health? Have you ever heard the Rich Mullins song Screen Door, “It is about as useless as a screen door on a submarine?”
Matthew 7:15-20, Hebrews 6:9-10, James 2:14-26
It’s about as useless as
A screen door on a submarine
Faith without works baby
It just ain’t happenin’
One is your left hand
One is your right
It’ll take two strong arms
To hold on tight
Some folks cut off their nose
Just to spite their face
I think you need some works to show
For your alleged faith
Well there’s a difference you know
Between having faith
And playing make believe
One will make you grow
The other one just make you sleep
Talk about it (yeah)
And I really think you oughta
Take a leap off of the ship
Before you claim to walk on water
Faith without works
Is like a song you can’t sing (sing)
It’s about as useless as
A screen door on a submarine
Faith comes from God and
Every word that He breathes
He lets you take it to your heart
So you can give it hands and feet
It’s gotta be active if it’s gonna be alive
You gotta put it into practice
Otherwise
It’s about as useless as a
Screen door on a submarine
Faith without works baby
It just ain’t happenin’
One is your right hand one is your left
It’s your light your guide
Your life and your breath
Faith without works is
Like a song you can’t sing
It’s about as useless as
A screen door on a submarine
Faith without works
Like a song you can’t sing
It’s about as useless
As a screen door on a submarine