God is a healer

What does it mean that God is a healer?

God is ascribed many titles in Scripture, one of which is Jehovah-Rapha, meaning “the Lord our healer.” The title originates in Exodus 15:26, where God says to Israel, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” From that point on, the concept of God as a healer has been a constant feature in both Jewish and Christian theologies.

Modern Christians often consider only physical healing when discussing God as a healer. However, Scripture presents several types of healing, covering the mind, spirit, and body. To heal is to make something whole, repair what is broken, or mend what is torn. The rebellion of Adam and Eve disrupted all of creation and brought about the need for healing. The role of God as a healer involves restoring everything to His original intention. Let us consider the different aspects of healing:

1. Spiritual healing: Humans were created to be spiritually connected to God, a state that brings life to our entire being. However, our first parents chose autonomy, and they separated themselves from the Source of life. We became spiritually dead, inclined to break God’s commands, and unable to reconcile with God through good deeds and human efforts. Spiritual healing involves restoring the wholeness God intended, achieved through Jesus’ sacrifice to take away our sins. When we acknowledge our sin and trust in Jesus as our redeemer, we become reconciled with God. He justifies us and grants us the spiritual healing we need. As the prophet Isaiah declared, “By his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
2. Physical healing: Unlike Greek and Gnostic views that prioritizes the spirit over the physical, Scripture reveals that God is interested in physical wholeness. Jesus demonstrated this by healing people, plainly showing that God’s kingdom had come near. Ultimate physical healing will occur at the resurrection when we are given new bodies fit for eternity (see 1 Corinthians 15, Revelation 21:3–5). Until then, we trust God’s power to miraculously heal, and we trust His goodness and providence when the healing doesn’t come.
3. Psychological/emotional healing: As part of the ongoing redemption process, God also heals our psychology and emotions. Mental health is often neglected in Christian circles, but Scripture addresses this. The continuous renewal of our minds (Romans 12:2) involves subjecting our thought patterns to the truth of God’s Word and the work of the Spirit. God is interested in healing negative thought cycles, fixing distorted perspectives, and changing harmful beliefs. We are instructed to bring our anxieties to God (1 Peter 5:7) and encourage others (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:24–25; Ephesians 4:29). When we bring our requests to God with thanksgiving, His peace will guard our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6–7).
4. Relational healing: God’s healing goes beyond individual wholeness and seeks to mend relational damages caused by sin. The gospel creates a community of unlikely individuals of different backgrounds, united by trust in Christ. Ultimate relational healing will also be achieved at the consummation of the kingdom. For now, we have the gospel, biblical teachings, and the Spirit’s empowerment to guide us in solving relational strife and creating harmony.
5. Healing of the cosmos: Finally, God promises to heal all creation and bring peace to the nations (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1; 22:2). Right now, creation groans, deteriorating under the weight of human sin and God’s curse (Romans 8:19–22). God’s redemption involves all of His creation, and we await that total restoration with hope.

God is a healer, and Christians should partner with God in the ongoing healing process. We can do this in many ways, including sharing the gospel, praying for the sick, contributing to medical advancements, encouraging people, being peacemakers, caring for God’s creation, and living with an eternal perspective.