How do I find healing?

‘For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.’ Hosea 6.6 (NIV)
 
‘I want you to know GOD, not go to more prayer meetings.’ (The Message)
 
What do we have to do to get healed? It is a serious question. Many people read the accounts of Jesus healing the sick and hear about the healing ministry in church and ask, could it happen to me, and more importantly, how?
 
This question of ‘how’ has led people to chase healing. They pursue speakers who are reputed to have great gifts of healing, or make bargains with God about what they will do if he heals them. However, if it was that simple and we were guaranteed healing after jumping through certain hoops, the queue would be enormous!
 
In this verse, the prophet Hosea brings us back to one fundamental principle that in itself does not guarantee healing, but certainly brings us to the very heart of God. We must seek a relationship with God before we seek healing. Why? Healing may well flow when we discover the joy of knowing God, but we will also gain so much more. We gain the peace of his presence, the joy of knowing that he is there at all times and the pleasure of hearing his voice as we speak to him in prayer. 
 
Before you ask God for anything particular today, spend time finding his presence, not for what you might get out of it but simply because he enjoys being with you.

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