The prayer of the righteous, when prayed with confidence, is very powerful (Jacobus 5:16)
For years researchers have been trying to find out whether prayer has any effect on physical healing. An assistant professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine said that "an attempt to scientifically prove the effect of prayer on health is nearly impossible."
Even Christians who believe in God's healing power have different opinions about how, when, and why He does it. We experience a struggle to understand why God heals some people, while others remain sick, even die.
Yakobus discussed this problem very carefully and attentively. He discussed the problem of healing in the context of the fellowship of believers and said, "Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person, when prayed with confidence, is very powerful" (Jacobus 5:16).
James is not aiming to create controversy or prove scientifically. Instead, he focused on the features and power of prayer. When discussing physical healing, he also includes a call to restore spiritual health through repentance and confession of sins (verse 15).
Science seeks to find proof of the law of cause and effect. However, faith directs us to ask for strength from a loving God, whose plan we can hardly fathom but can always trust --David McCasland
PRAYER IS LAND
A PLACE OF HOPE AND HEALING GROWS FRIENDLY
* Take from Daily Reflections