Naaman, in 2 Kings 5, had leprosy and he was sent to Elisha to heal him. I’m sure Naaman wanted healing and was excited with the possibility. When he arrived “Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.’” (vs. 10) We would think his reaction would be: “Wahoo!! Great – that’s it? That’s all I have to do? Get to me the Jordan and bring the towel!!” But instead “Naaman became furious, and went away and said, ‘Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over this place, and heal the leprosy. Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.”
Naaman’s pride almost cost him the healing of his leprosy. His stubbornness could have easily kept him in his debilitated condition for the rest of his life.
Naaman had an expectation of how Elisha’s God would heal him. When it didn’t proceed according to his expectation he was ready to give up and not even try what Elisha told him to do. He would have missed God’s healing if it had not been for the servant who said, “…my father, if the prophet had told you to do something great would you not have done it? How much more then, when he said to you, ‘wash, and be clean?’” (vs. 13)
It makes me wonder. Have I missed any of God’s work in my life because I have been too stubborn or too proud to accept it? May we never think we know better than God about HOW healing should come. May we accept with faith and humility His plan for our healing and growth.
Written by Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and is the Executive Director & CEO of Changed Choices, a Christian non-profit in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.
