A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” -NIV84

Too often, we act as though God owes us healing whenever we demand it — like He is our personal butler, delivering whatever we want when we ‘ring the bell.’ Sorry, but it doesn’t quite work that way.

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 NIV84

Quite often, dealing with physical ailments is the catalyst that propels us closer to Him. The sweet relationship we may have with our Lord is worth so much more than material success, physical health or anything else we may think is of value in this world.