Prayer and Healing
Prayer and Healing is a topic that has featured a lot on the minds of many people across the globe.
This has led many researchers to conduct experiments with the purpose of proving or disapproving the idea that prayer contributes to an ill person’s healing. Thus, arguments regarding this topic have abounded with those supporting the idea that prayer contributes to healing advancing that prayer is not restricted by distance, it has a positive effect on life, and in the Bible, many people followed Jesus in order to receive healing. On the other hand, those opposing the significance of prayer concerning healing advanced that even though prayer plays a crucial role in a person’s healing, medicine is the ultimate answer. Secondly, the opponents also observe that prayer does not contribute to healing, as the miracles depicted in Churches are stage-managed. This essay explicates points proving the essence of prayer for healing. Firstly, prayer leads to healing because it is not restricted by distance.
This is a significant point when exploring the effects of prayer concerning faith. Williams (1999), advances an experiment that was carried out to stop the spread of fungus. The experiment comprised of two groups, and one of the groups interacted frequently with the facilitator while the other group was somewhat sidelined. Cosequently, the group that interacted frequently with the facilitator depicted a positive result compared to the other group. The purpose of this experiment was to provide the basis of faith and doubt as concerned with prayer. Thus, it can be summed that, despite prayer been non-local, an individual’s faith contributes significantly to one’s healing process.
In addition, care, consciousness and empathy play a significant role.Secondly, prayer contributes to healing because of the positive effect it has on life. Williams (1999) provides an example of a patient that was sick and asserted it as God’s plan for her. The patient prayed often to receive healing. Arguably, the patient believed that God is the cause of everything and has a purpose for doing so.
Since God has the power over everything, he can facilitate healing just as he makes a person fall ill as a form of punishment. An example is also provided of a lady who abandoned her church in an early age and indulged in the world of drugs. Eventually, she was blaming her ill health on God’s punishment for her lack of prayer. This proves that prayer contributes to healing. Thirdly, Arlandson (2007) quotes from the Bible, to prove that prayer contributes to healing. Arlandson (2007) provides an example from the book of Mathew chapter fifteen verse thirty to thirty one.
From this scrripture, it can be deducted that many crowds followed Jesus for a sole purpose, and that is healing. Notably, the crowd following Jesus brought people who were lame, mute, and blind and Jesus healed them. Arguably, prayer contributes to healing. On the other hand, those opposing the essence of prayer in healing advance that despite it been a necessity, drugs play the ultimate role in the healing of a person. Byrd (2006) advances that from the research conducted, prayer did not actually result to a person’s healing as he provides an example of Sovereigns from England who resorted to prayer in order to live longer, but did not.
Wheeler (2006) also refutes the idea that prayer contributes to healing as he indicates that what is depicted in churches as miracles are theatricals organized before a church service commences in order to prove the power of prayer.In conclusion, the evidenced advanced in support of prayer and healing holds more than that of the opposing group as credible references are provided. For instance, the point regarding crowds that followed Jesus for healing has been repeated severally in the Bible, which gives it credit. Notably, prayer plays a crucial role in people’s life, which explains the different attitudes held by people regarding their suffering or well being, which proves the point that prayer contributes to healing.
