Ever since Sin was brought into this world, there has been sicknesses, diseases, heartbreak and all various kinds of discomforts. We are promised in the bible that all of that will end when we get to heaven, and we are also promised that trials and tribulations will be a staple of our earthly lives. Therefore, my question is; is it even worth praying for physical healing and physical comfort, given that physical comfort is only going to last until the point at which we die, while spiritual strength, which is not only a key comforter in this life, but also a upwards looking approach to life? Does God, being the smart God that he is, know that physical comfort generally makes us fall into complacency and takes away some urge to pursue God that we normally would need during trials?

Let’s look at some verses from the bible:

1 Peter 5:10

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

The restoration, confirmation, strengthening and establishment here is referring to eternity.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV / 95 helpful votes

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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The letter to the Corinthians, from Paul, clearly shows that when Paul was in his hardest calamities, and he was in many calamities, is when he felt the power of Christ in his life and he felt strongest.

But we also have James:

James 5:14-15

Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.

That pretty clearly says  “the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well;”, but I think that it’s still important to frame ‘prayer’ in it’s context. We are certainly told to prayer fervently, but we must not reduce God down to a servant, to expect him to do whatever we tell him to do. He is far greater and smarter than we could ever be, and everything his does has a purpose. Praying is our way of connecting with God; praying is letting God know our needs, but allowing him to work in his wonderful way. His wonderful way might not involving healing my ailments, as he sees more benefit in my strength being turned towards him, and becoming well spiritually rather than physically.