Why Are Some Healed and Others Not?

Dear friend,

If you’re reading this with a heavy heart—perhaps waiting on healing for yourself or someone you love—we want you to know you're not alone. Many believers, including strong men and women of faith throughout history, have asked the same painful question:

“Why does God heal some people and not others?”

Though there’s no simple answer, Scripture gives us a steady place to stand—one shaped by trust, not certainty; by faith, not formulas. In what follows, we want to offer biblical perspective, encouragement, and hope, grounded in God’s Word and rooted in the unchanging character of Christ.

Jesus Christ Hasn’t Changed

Let’s begin with a powerful truth from Hebrews 13:8:

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

This short verse is a deep well of comfort. It reminds us that the Jesus we read about in the Gospels—the healer, the teacher, the compassionate friend—is still the same today. He hasn’t changed with time, culture, or circumstance. His nature is constant. His mercy is steadfast. His love is unshakable.

The same Jesus who touched the leper, who raised Jairus’ daughter, who stopped in the middle of a crowd to heal a bleeding woman—He is still moving, still healing, still present. We can come to Him with the same faith that people did over 2,000 years ago, knowing that His heart is just as tender and His power is just as strong.

But Hebrews 13:8 does more than give us hope for healing—it gives us a foundation when healing doesn’t happen. When our prayers seem unanswered, or when the waiting stretches long, this verse anchors us in the truth that Jesus’ character hasn’t shifted. He hasn’t become less loving. He hasn’t turned His face away. His silence is never indifference.

In seasons of suffering, when our feelings fluctuate and faith feels fragile, we hold on to this truth:
Jesus Christ is the same. He is still good. He is still sovereign. He is still with us.

This unchanging nature of Christ gives us both confidence to ask boldly and peace to trust humbly. Because we know who He is, we can rest even when we don’t understand what He’s doing. And that’s the kind of foundation we need—not just in times of healing, but in all seasons of life.

God Is Always Good, Even When Healing Doesn’t Come

One of the hardest tensions in the Christian life is believing that God is good—even when He doesn’t give us what we ask for. When healing delays or doesn’t arrive, our hearts can begin to question His goodness. But Scripture calls us back to the truth:

“The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.” (Psalm 145:9)

Even when we can’t trace His hand, we can trust His heart. The Bible never promises us a pain-free life, but it does promise us a faithful God who walks with us in the valley, not just on the mountain.

Jesus Himself was known as a man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3). He understands grief and suffering intimately. And He never rebuked anyone for being in pain. Instead, He drew near to the hurting. Whether healing comes or not, His presence is the ultimate gift—one that sustains us in our weakness, comforts us in our waiting, and carries us through the unknown.

Sometimes healing brings God glory through a miracle. Other times, our trust in the midst of suffering becomes a greater witness than the absence of pain ever could. God’s goodness is not proven only in our relief—it’s revealed in His nearness, His faithfulness, and His ability to redeem what is broken, even when He doesn’t remove it.

Healing Is Not a Measure of Faith or Worth

It’s a heartbreaking misunderstanding to believe that healing is a reward for having “enough faith,” or that unanswered prayer means we’ve failed spiritually. That belief turns God into a vending machine and turns suffering into shame.

But the Bible tells a different story.

The Apostle Paul, who had deep faith and walked closely with the Lord, wasn’t healed of his own “thorn in the flesh.” Despite pleading with God three times, the answer was not healing—but grace.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

In that moment, Paul learned something that many of us must come to know: God's power does not always remove our weakness—but He meets us in it.

The Gospels also show Jesus healing people in many different ways—some expressed bold faith, others barely whispered a plea. Some were healed because of the faith of their friends. One man at the Pool of Bethesda didn’t even ask—Jesus simply chose him.

Healing is not a formula. It is not a sign of spiritual superiority. It is a mystery wrapped in mercy, and God always sees the full picture.

We Pray Boldly—And Trust Fully

Scripture invites us to pray for healing—not timidly, but boldly. James 5:14–16 encourages us to bring our needs to the Lord and to call others to pray with us. Jesus Himself said:

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7)

So we ask. We seek. We knock. And we believe God is able.

But alongside bold prayer must come surrendered trust. Like Jesus in the garden, we say, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) Not out of fear or resignation, but out of deep faith that God knows what is best—even when it hurts.

Sometimes the greatest act of faith isn’t asking for healing—it’s continuing to trust when healing doesn’t happen. And often, it’s in those unanswered prayers that we experience a deeper, more lasting kind of healing: the healing of the soul, the healing of our view of God, the healing of fear and despair.

Our Hope Is Eternal

We live in a fallen world. Bodies wear out. Illness strikes. Loss happens. Even those Jesus healed eventually faced death again. Healing in this life is never the end of the story—it’s only a glimpse of what’s coming.

That’s why our ultimate hope is not in temporary healing, but in the eternal promise of restoration through Christ. Revelation 21:4 gives us this assurance:

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore…”

One day, God will make all things new. There will be no more cancer. No more chronic illness. No more unanswered questions. That day is coming—not because of anything we’ve done, but because of what Christ has done.

Until then, we live between two realities: the power of God to heal now, and the promise of full healing forever. Both are true. Both are real. And both are gifts of grace.

You Are Not Alone

If you are waiting on healing today, please know this: God sees you. He hears you. He is with you. Whether He brings healing now, later, or in eternity, His love for you is certain and unwavering.

As the Hebrews 13:8 Foundation Team, we are here to walk with you through it all—praying, hoping, and trusting alongside you. You do not have to carry this alone. We believe in a God who still heals, but more than that, we believe in a Savior who is with us in every step, no matter the outcome.

With love and hope,
The Hebrews 13:8 Foundation Team