Trusting God When Healing Hasn't Come: Faith, Chronic Pain, and Unanswered Prayers

Have you ever prayed for something for so long that you started wondering when God was going to answer?

Maybe you've been believing for healing. Maybe you're walking through something painful that hasn't changed, no matter how much you've prayed. You know God is faithful, but today is still hard.
And sometimes you're just tired.

In this episode of Perspectives Into Practice, I sit down with my new friend Ena to talk about what it looks like to trust God when healing hasn't come and you're still living in the middle of the story.

Ena has spent years navigating chronic pain, spinal stenosis, surgeries, and physical limitations that have changed what she's able to do in everyday life. She describes this season as one where her body has grown weaker, but her spirit has grown stronger. And she's honest about how difficult that can be.

There are days when her pain is overwhelming, when the things she wants to accomplish and the things her body will allow are completely different. There are moments of frustration, tears, and wondering why she's still going through this.

But Ena is learning something important about her relationship with God.
She doesn't have to measure God's presence by how she feels physically.

We talk about the tension between believing God for healing and being honest about the pain you're experiencing today. Because having faith doesn't mean pretending that something doesn't hurt. It doesn't mean you never get frustrated.

And it certainly doesn't mean you have to have a perfectly polished testimony before you can talk about God's goodness.
Ena shares how she's learning to return to God again and again, even when she doesn't have the words for a long prayer.

Sometimes it's simply, "Lord, help me.", remembering what He's already brought her through, it's choosing to praise Him in the middle of a difficult day, and sometimes it's learning that spending your best ten minutes with God can be more meaningful than trying to meet an expectation of what your time with Him is supposed to look like.

One of my favorite parts of our conversation is how Ena talks about God as her Father. Not someone she only approaches when she needs something, but someone she genuinely wants to spend time with.
Even while she's waiting, while she's hurting, and when she doesn't know what tomorrow will bring.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Trusting God when healing hasn't come

• Living with chronic pain while holding on to faith

• Believing God for healing when circumstances haven't changed

• Being honest with God about pain, frustration, and disappointment

• Why struggling doesn't mean you're failing at faith

• Recognizing God's presence in the middle of suffering

• Remembering God's faithfulness during difficult seasons

• Finding spiritual strength when your body feels weak

• Returning to Scripture when life feels overwhelming

• Building a genuine relationship with God instead of checking religious boxes

• Why your best ten minutes with God matter

• Praying simple, honest prayers when you don't have the words

• Talking to God throughout your ordinary day

• Learning to trust God as a loving Father

• Seeking God's presence instead of only seeking an answer

• Choosing gratitude and praise during difficult circumstances

• Listening for God's guidance and taking the next step

• Continuing to trust God through unanswered prayers

• Returning to God again and again, even when you've struggled

Friend, maybe you're living in your own messy middle right now.
You've prayed. You've believed. You've trusted.
And the circumstances still haven't changed.
I want you to hear something from this conversation.
You don't have to wait until the pain is gone to recognize that God is with you.

You don't need the perfect prayer. You don't need to pretend everything is okay. And you don't have to figure out why everything is happening before you come to Him.
Maybe today your prayer really is as simple as:
"Lord, help me. Show me. Direct me."
And then you keep coming back.
Because the same God who will be with you on the other side is already with you right here in the middle.

You can learn more about Ena and connect with her at EnaRush.com.

If you're looking for a place to share what God is doing while you're still living your story, I'd love to invite you into The Story Haven. It's our free community for Christian women to share the real, right-now stories of what God is doing, encourage one another, and build genuine relationships as we walk out our faith together.

Join us at TheStoryHaven.net or find The Story Haven in the App Store or Google Play.

And if God is doing something in your life right now that you feel called to share, I'd love to hear from you. You don't need a platform, a ministry, or a perfectly wrapped-up testimony. Visit PerspectivesIntoPractice.com to learn more about becoming a guest on the podcast.