Question: Why doesn't God always heal the sick when they are given priesthood blessings?

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Question: Why doesn't God always heal the sick when they are given priesthood blessings?

The healing power of faith and the priesthood cannot produce a result contrary to the will of the Lord

As D&C 42꞉48 states, it is not always the will of the Lord for individuals to be healed:

And again, it shall come to pass that he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed.

Elder Oaks explained this very well:

[W]e must always remember that faith and the healing power of the priesthood cannot produce a result contrary to the will of Him whose priesthood it is. This principle is taught in the revelation directing that the elders of the Church shall lay their hands upon the sick. The Lord’s promise is that “he that hath faith in me to be healed, and is not appointed unto death, shall be healed” (D&C 42:48; emphasis added). Similarly, in another modern revelation the Lord declares that when one “asketh according to the will of God … it is done even as he asketh” (D&C 46:30). [1]

The words of the blessing are not essential to the healing effect, and they will ultimately not override the will of the Lord

Elder Oaks:

Fortunately, the words spoken in a healing blessing are not essential to its healing effect. If faith is sufficient and if the Lord wills it, the afflicted person will be healed or blessed whether the officiator speaks those words or not. Conversely, if the officiator yields to personal desire or inexperience and gives commands or words of blessing in excess of what the Lord chooses to bestow according to the faith of the individual, those words will not be fulfilled. [2]

Sometimes God allows us to be His hand in helping to alleviate suffering

Many people ask whether God intervenes in our lives. It is true that he does from time to time. But, perhaps a more important question is whether we are intervening in each others' lives. Should we pray that God will heal the sick? Yes. But, more importantly, are we "visiting the sick and administering to their relief?" [3] Perhaps God is more concerned with what we are doing to intervene in the lives of others than with intervening directly himself.

Spencer W. Kimball stated it this way: "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other in the kingdom." [4]

If God chose to heal all the sick through direct intervention, we would have fewer opportunities to be blessed by charitable service. Perhaps God allows many individuals to suffer without healing so that we can bless them and be blessed by our service to them. After all, "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." [5]



Notes

  1. ↑ Dallin H. Oaks, "Healing the Sick," General Conference Priesthood Session (April 2010).
  2. ↑ Dallin H. Oaks, "Healing the Sick," General Conference Priesthood Session (April 2010).
  3. ↑ Mosiah 4:26
  4. ↑ "Small Acts of Service," Spencer W. Kimball https://www.lds.org/ensign/1974/12/small-acts-of-service?lang=eng
  5. ↑ Mosiah 2:17
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