Part of the Solution

But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hands over the spot and cure me of my leprosy”…so he turned and went off in rage. 2 Kings 5:11-12 (NIV)

One of the first things I do on Monday mornings is write the first-time guests of our church from the previous day. Through the years, I’ve noticed something about first-timers. Some move in from other communities and are looking for a place to belong. Some of the first-timers have been involved in another church but for any number of reasons are looking for a new church home. But many of the first-timers have been in our community for a long time and are not coming from another church. Instead, I oftentimes find that these first-timers have had some “life-changing” event to occur: diagnosis of a terminal illness, loss of a job, infidelity of a spouse, or the like. They come seeking answered prayers and hope for their hurting hearts. These people usually want to make an appointment to see me shortly after they worship with us for the first time.

When I meet with them, I try to suggest that God’s answer to our prayers, while sometimes instantaneous and with little work expected of us, usually require the one praying to be a part of the solution. If your marriage is unhealthy, for instance, it’s possible that God could instantly make it healthy, I suppose, but most of the time it requires the couple to do the difficult and often painful work of counseling, learning new ways to relate, etc. The restoration of a marriage is possible but it is not magical and demands much of the couple.

The sad part is that you’d be surprised how quickly people stop coming to church when they realize that God is not going to magically and instantly fix all of their problems. You’d be surprised at how often people walk out of my office after learning that sometimes things get much worse before they get better and just say, “It’s not worth it.” They’re not willing to be part of the answer to their prayers.

In today’s suggested scripture readings, Naaman has leprosy. He’s a Syrian commander known for beating other nations in battle but who cannot seem to beat his disease. He learns that the prophet Elisha of Israel can likely cure him of his leprosy so he goes to see him. Elisha sends word that for Naaman to be healed, he must go wash himself seven times in the Jordan River.

Naaman is furious. He doesn’t want to be a part of the solution to the problem. He just wants Elisha to come stand in front of him, call on the name of Elisha’s God, wave his hand over Naaman’s leprosy, and heal him. Besides, the Jordan River is dirty. Naaman didn’t come all of this way to see Elisha only to bathe in a dirty river in Israel! Naaman goes away mad.

Fortunately, Naaman’s servants convince him to go wash himself seven times in the Jordan River and Naaman finds healing and restoration.

Is there an area in your life where you want healing to take place? Are there things that God might want you to see, to do, to be, or to change that could be part of the way God seeks to answer your prayer? Are you willing to do those things? Are you willing to be part of the solution to your problem? Oftentimes, healing won’t take place unless you are.

May God grant you the grace to see how you might play a part in the answer to your prayers.

If you're interested in reading through the Bible in a year, tomorrow's suggested readings are 2 Kings 6-7, 2 Chronicles 20, and 1 Timothy 3.