We all come to God seeking healing in one way or another. Many of us seek physical healing from cancer, broken bones, respiratory illness and the list goes on. A less noticeable healing that many of us are desperately in need of is that of our hearts and minds. We need healing from depression, anxiety, addiction, and grief. May you be encouraged to go to the only one who can provide you with what you seek with these Bible stories about healing.

I witnessed first hand her struggle with depression. The good days, the bad, the never knowing how she would be from one minute to the next. I saw her trapped in her own mind, unable to free herself from a prison she never asked to be in.

The overwhelming feelings of grief, unbearable pain, darkness, loneliness, fear, they held me captive. Looking back, I don’t remember much of those days, except the pain. I remember the pain very well.

I watched his internal struggle, his fight against the demons of addiction. There was nothing I could do, the battle was his own. Sometimes he won, sometimes he lost.

My own story of chronic migraines, days of lying in the dark, intense pain, mental confusion, the list is not a pretty one. My three year old snuggling up next to me comforting me with his sweet kisses and hugs.

Yes, we all need healing.

5 Bible Stories about Healing

We have a lot to cover in this post so let’s jump right in with these Bible stories about healing and then we will cover a dozen more Bible verses for the sick, for loss, and for healing of all kinds.

Elijah and the Widow’s Son

The story of Elijah and the widow’s son is found in 1 Kings 17 and I must confess that I have a strange fascination with this story. I talk about the widow and her faith in “Does God Test our Faith? The Story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath” but let’s focus on Elijah in this post.

Elijah has stood against the wicked King Ahab and pronounced a drought because of the idolatry in Israel. God faithfully takes care of Elijah during ths drought by leading him to a brook where he has fresh water and has ravens bring him meat daily. Meanwhile, Ahab and his evil wife, Jezebel, seek to kill Elijah for what he has done and sends all of those who faithfully serve the true God into hiding.

The drought lasts three years and Elijah’s brook dries up. God leads Elijah to our widow who is preparing her and her son’s last meal. Elijah asks her for food and while the woman hesitates, she does give Elijah the last morsels she had saved for her and her son. God rewards her by providing her with an endless supply of meal and oil.

But, the story doesn’t end there. The widow’s son becomes sick and dies. Of course, the woman in grief stricken and confused. She took care of this prophet of God and this is how she is rewarded? God takes her son?

I am not sure what Elijah is thinking at this point. But, he knows God better than that.

And he said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. Then he cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?” 

And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him.”  Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.

And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives!” (1 Kings 17:19-23)

Perhaps this was a test for Elijah, after all he was about to call fire down from heaven in front of thousands of witnesses. Perhaps this was a test for the woman because she proclaims the following:

Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth.” (verse 24)

Healing of Namaan

I love this story because it shows that God is not respector of persons. Faith trumps all and obedience to His word will bring you healing.

The healing of Namaan is found in 2 Kings 5. We learn that Namaan is a commander in the Syrian army, a “mighty man of valor” but also a leper.

Leprosy was a very contagious disease that is often thought of as a bacterial infection of the skin, but it is much worse than that. Leprosy attacks the nervous system slowly over time causing tumors, disfigurement, and tissue degeneration. It slowly terrorized its victim’s body and there was no cure for it.

Now, Namaan’s wife had a young servant who had been brought back as a captive from one of Namaan’s raids in Israel. She mentions to her mistress about a prophet in Israel who could heal Namaan.

Namaan sends a letter, along with a generous gift, to the king of Israel asking him for help. Obviously, the king can’t help him but Elisha the prophet hears about it and offers to see the commander.

Namaan quickly comes to see Elisha and is met with instructions to go wash himeself seven times in the Jordan River. Namaan does not react to these instructions well and is furious that Elisha sent a message rather than meeting with him in person. He also declares that the rivers in his own land are better than the Jordon. He turns to leave, but his servant talks some sense into him and Namaan reluctantly dips in the Jordan River 7 times.

Good thing too because guess what? He is completely healed! (The story does not end here, I highly recommend you read the rest of it if you haven’t before! (2 Kings 5)

Jesus Heals Jarius’s Daughter

For our next Bible story about healing, let’s turn to Jesus. I have loved the story about Jesus healing Jarius’s daughter since I was a kid. I think I felt some connection with the young girl.

You can read this story in both Matthew chapter 9 and Mark chapter 5. Jesus was in the middle of a large crowd. Jarius, a religious leader of the day, pushed through the crowd, fell at Jesus’s feet and begged him to come heal his sick daugther.

Jesus agrees to go and the large crowd follows. The story takes a detour here because of the woman with an issue of blood who is determined to touch Jesus’s clothes at the very least in order to receive healing. More on that story in “Your Faith has Made You Well: Touching the Hem of His Garment”.

Jesus continues with Jarius toward his home, but are met with awful news. Jarius’s daughter has died. Jesus gives Jarius a very simple (and yet oh so difficult) command. “Do not be afraid, only believe”.

Jesus forbids the crowd to continue following him and takes with him his three closest disciples. Can you imagine what was going on in Jarius’s head? The battle between fear and faith, grief and hope. Emotions he was experiencing are beyond my words, I’m sure.

Jesus sends the mourners out of the house and sits beside the 12 year old girl. Her face at peace now after her struggle with the sickness that robbed her body of life. Her parents stand watching, hearts beating fast, holding their breath, struggling to believe.

He takes the girl by the hand and tells her to “arise”.

And she did!

That might be the end of the recorded story but that is not the end of the story for Jarius, his wife, or his little girl. They saw a healing beyond anything they would ever see again. God was there among His people and he had touched them in an incredible way.

Peter Heals the Lame Man

We could spend a lot of time discussing Jesus’s healings, but Bible stories about healing do not end with him. Let’s move onto a story in Acts that takes place after Jesus ascends to heaven.

The Day of Pentecost and the out pouring of God’s spirit upon his people along with Peter’s sermon on salvation is over. One morning, Peter and John are walking to temple to pray. They see a lame man sitting at the gate begging for money.

Peter tells him that he doesn’t have silver or gold, but he does have something else. He takes the lame man by the hand and says “In the name of Jesus Christ from Nazareth, rise up and walk”.

Immediately the man was helaed and began leaping and dancing and praising God.

Lord, Heal Our Land

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.  (2 Chronicles 7:14)

This healing might feel less personal because it talks about healing a group of people, not from a physical sickness but from sin and disobedience, Healing our land begins with us.

Bible stories about healing embraces all kinds of healings and while I have never been crippled or physically died, I dare to say that the healing of our souls is the most important.

Have you ever read the book of Judges? There is a theme that repeats itself over and over. Israel obeys God and all is well, they forget God and fall into idolatry, God removes His protective hand and they are taken by other tribes in the area, they cry out in repentance and beg God for help, and God delivers them. He warned them this would happen.

And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. 

Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods, and serve them and worship them, I testify against you this day that you shall surely perish. 

As the nations which the Lord destroys before you, so you shall perish because you would not be obedient to the voice of the Lord your God. (Deuteronomy 8:18-20)

We actually see this throughout the Old Testament. God continually warns the children of Israel to remove their idolatry, but like all of us, they must first experience the negative consequences of sin and they do not consistently follow the one who freed them from slavery.

Lord, heal our land.

Our own land has fallen into disobedience, bowing to other gods, living in immorality, refusing to humble themselves to the true God of heaven.

Christians, our healing begins with us. A generation of believers refusing to bow down, refusing to compromise, standing strong against satan’s tactics. The healing of our land begins with us raising strong men and women of faith who know right from wrong, who seek a relationship with God, and make the decision to resist what is acceptable in the world.

Healing our land begins when we refuse to compromise and give into the pressures of society.

It is time that we stop conforming to this world! It’s time to be a light!

What Does the Bible Say about Sickness and Healing?

I will get off my soap box now and onto more verses about healing. The Bible is our road map, it is there to teach us right from wrong, to show us God’s plan of salvation, and encourage us through the painful seasons we will all experience throughout life.

With that in mind, the Bible has a lot of say about sickness and healing. Sometimes sickness is brought on as a punishment as when Miriam complains against Moses and God strikes her with leprosy (Numbers 12).

Sometimes sickness comes that the glory of God may be revealed such as in the story of Jesus and Lazarus.

Most often sickness comes because we live in a fallen world ruled by satan. One day all of the pain and suffering will be gone, but until then, we find our comfort in scripture.

Comforting Bible Verses for the Sick

First, if you have not come to God in repentance and set your mind to follow Him, I beg you to do so now. (You might find 5 Steps to Repentance, David as Our Example helpful). Healing of your soul is the most important!

Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed;
Save me, and I shall be saved,
For You are my praise. (Jeremiah 17:14)

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.  (James 5:14-15)

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

Comforting Bible Verses for Loss

I have a post with 30 Bible verses for loss, but these are my favorites. I didn’t want to overlook the pain of grief and the healing that needs to take place there. It is a hidden healing because grief is isolating. I couldn’t think of a Bible story about healing specifically for this topic, but there are a lot of verses.

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. (John 14:1-3)

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:4)

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Corinthians 2:7-9)

Also, check out “12 Poignant Bible Verses for Widows”.

Bible Verses for Broken Hearts

We often think of physical healings but broken hearts need to be healed as well. Whether you are in the middle of a divorce, have lost a dear friendship, or are reconciling a broken relationship with a parent or sibling, know that God cares about your heart. He sees your tears and feels your pain. He can heal you from your hurt when you give it to him.

You number my wanderings;
Put my tears into Your bottle;
Are they not in Your book? (Psalm 56:8)

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. (Isaiah 43:1-2)

He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3)

Whether your need for healing is hidden or you have expressed it to everyone around you, know that God hears you, He sees your struggle and will answer you when you come to Him. I pray these Bible stories about healing have encouraged your heart and given you hope.