Why you can’t “pray it away”

Choosing prayer over medical care can lead to complications. Science shines a light on God’s creation and the resources we have been provided. If someone told you that your cancer or dyslexia is a sin, you’d shake your head at their ignorance and walk away. If someone tells you your mental illness is a sin, you should do the same.

Mental illness in the Christian community has been stigmatized for far too long. Comments such as “pray it away” or “if you just had enough faith” have blockaded individuals from the faith community. It is a shame tactic that is unfounded on truth. Prayer is a tricky thing, or at least, the various messages we’ve been given about prayer are. 

Prayer, of course, is important. It’s our link to God, a way to deepen our relationship with our creator. It plays an important part in our faith journey. However, we sometimes treat it in our churches as the end-all solution. God did not give us prayer so that we could hand everything over to Him and then walk away. He isn’t a genie or Santa Clause. God gave us prayer so that we could be in fellowship with Him and enter into the work alongside Him. 

Every prayer and every individual are answered differently. For example, healing is provided for some, though not always in the form it is requested. Some may walk away fully and miraculously healed. No one is saying this is outside of God’s scope. But others will find healing through the revelation God has given us in science, proper medication and counseling. For others healing, does not come. 

One’s faith does not determine the outcome. 

Prayer isn’t meant to be used to “pray it away.” If it were, Paul would not have said in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 that three times he prayed that the Lord take his struggle from him but the Lord did not. Paul concluded instead that strength is found in our weakness. I can’t tell you why God sometimes heals one and not another but I do know that, regardless of our struggles, God never leaves our side. 

Prayer can actually be used in the clinical environment as a coping skill. We learn how to regulate our thoughts in prayer. We work out forgiveness of others as well as ourselves. Prayer steps into situations where we are powerless and gives us a means by which we can help. It focuses our thoughts and provides a way forward. 

At Centerpoint, we are breaking down every barrier that keeps people from the love of God. We don’t shy away from the hard questions. No matter where you are in your faith journey, you are welcome to join us!