“And He said to them, ‘This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.’” Mark 9:29
This verse of scripture can be subtitled: Some Things Require a Little More Work.
In this passage of scripture, Jesus heals a little boy that his father told him was mute and demon-possessed. Jesus was then able to cast the demon out and later his disciples asked him why they hadn’t been able to heal him. Jesus told them the above – that this kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.
In other words – some things take a little more work. Some problems won’t be resolved with a half hour of prayer or talking about with your friends or asking your pastor to pray for you.
Some things will require days – if not weeks, or even months – of steadfast prayer, perhaps some fasting and some problem-solving as you engage with God about your problems. It took time to heal Job. It took time for Daniel’s prayer to be answered. Lazarus actually died before Jesus arrived to raise him from the dead.
Everything that you will go through will not be easy.
And some things will take time.
More time than you’d probably like to spend. Difficult, challenging, frustrating time.
But – as Jesus says earlier (when the father asks if the boy can be healed) – ‘Everything is possible for one who believes’ – Mark 9:23.
Everything is possible. That distinction is important. Every sick person will not be healed, but every person could possibly be healed according to the will of God.
Every problem will not be eliminated. But it is possible that it will be, if that is what God wants.
It’s not a pleasant truth to face, but that's the truth of how God works.
King David fasted for many days in the hopes that God would heal his son. After the seventh day, his son died. David’s servants were initially afraid to tell him about it, but once he inquired of them, they told him the truth: his son had died.
Upon hearing the news, he rose up, washed and anointed himself and changed his clothing. His servants were amazed, but to David, it was simple. He said “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows, the LORD may be gracious to me, that the child may live.’ But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:22-23). It makes perfect sense from that perspective.
David knew that while the child lived, it was possible that God might heal him. But once the child was dead, David knew that his child was truly gone.
It’s important in this context not to confuse what God could do with what He actually does.
While God can choose to do anything that is within His will (which means everything), He doesn’t always. While He can restore the sick and raise the dead, He may or may not choose to do those things. But those things are still possible.
I don’t understand why God chooses to do what He does (and I suspect you may not know either), but I do know that all things are possible through God.
And that some things require more work than others.
Even if there is a poor outcome or things don’t turn out the way you wanted them to, know that all things are still possible. Even if we don’t understand why God chooses to do what He does or heals who He does or allows some to die.
Though He doesn’t do all things, He can.
So while there is still hope and time - pray, fast and bow down before Him. Entreat Him to grant you your heart’s desire for healing, favor, prosperity and the like. He may do it. He may do it only partially. He may do it later than you’d like. He may do some now and some later. And He may not do it at all.
But while there is still hope, pray.
And know that some things will require more work, more time and you may encounter more difficulty than you'd like to.
But - in the end - it will be worth it.
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