Acts 16 tells the story of a woman for whom no one wanted healing.

This woman had two hardships impacting her life: slavery, and a spirit controlling her.  While we do not know if this was a tormenting spirit, Deuteronomy 18:10-12 implies that this spirit separated her from God and certainly negatively impacted her life.  This woman would find immediate healing — and access to full life — if the spirit was cast out, and no one wanted that for her.

Once when [Paul and his companions] were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future.  She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.  She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”  She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
Acts 16:16-24

The woman is miraculously healed, but there was no celebration, as there seemed to be no one that wanted this for her:

• Her owners cared more about the money she made them than her well-being, and grew livid that the healing cost them a hefty passive income
• The crowd were not in awe of the miracle, and instead were whipped into a frenzy to strip and beat the healers, because this woman was likely of no value to them, except when she could tell them the future
• While Jesus was compelled to cast out spirits because of compassion, Paul was motivated by annoyance; many days passed before he healed the woman for his own sake, and he likely resisted because of the potential backlash
• The magistrates were more concerned about their preferred customs being threatened than the well-being of a citizen, rashly persecuting without even a trial to discern truth
• The woman didn’t even request healing; she was in the presence of miracle-workers for days but only operated as the spirit dictated
• No family or friends are mentioned who could have advocated for her

We would all be quick to say healing is good, but functionally we are quick to reject it; often, the cost of the healing of another is just too great.

This healing cost the owners a source of income.  It cost Paul and his companions their safety.  It cost the people the perks of a local fortune-teller.  It cost the magistrates control of the people.  We believe we would act differently and compassionately celebrate the woman’s newfound freedom, but we too are prone to reject the healing of others:

• We may oppose injustice, but resist the healing of sweatshop workers when it makes our clothes more expensive
• We may oppose the oppression of people groups, but resist the healing of racial or ethnic wounds when it puts our own way of life at risk
• We may oppose the hardships of others, but resist their healing if their hardships benefit us
• We may oppose the disunity wrought by politics, but resist healing-through-unity when it threatens our political agendas

Our desire for wealth, safety, comfort, and power can lead us to oppose the healing of those around us.

Fortunately, the Healer is not impeded by our brokenness.  While no one else wanted it, God wanted this woman healed.  Even more, the God who can do “immeasurably more than we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20) used this healing to ultimately heal a guard who was ready to end his life, as well as his entire household.

The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
Acts 16:34

These are, of course, broad sweeps; we do not actually know the nuanced thoughts of the owners, Paul, the crowd, or the magistrates.  However, what we see here is a story that has existed throughout human history: an image-bearer is in need of a healing that is opposed for self-serving reasons.  The point is not that these characters are villains — after all, Paul gave his life to follow Christ — but that these characters are us.

Today, there will be someone in your midst in need of healing — physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally — and God may be intentionally positioning you to play a role.  Paul did not plan to be in Macedonia with that woman; the Spirit had to repeatedly speak to and block him to put him in place, and may be placing you as well.

How might God be inviting you to embrace, not oppose, the healing of individuals or people groups around you?  How might you need to release the human desire for wealth, safety, comfort, and power in order to be a conduit of His restorative power?  Perhaps more convicting, how might you need to take ownership over times you have already opposed the healing of others?

The healing of others will cost you.  It cost Jesus his safety and reputation frequently, and got Paul and Silas stripped, beaten, and imprisoned.  However, they ultimately knew that the purpose of their life was not self-preservation and advancement, but to “love God and love others.”  When we take on “the mindset of Christ,” (Philippians 2:5-8) we may discover that healing is not only possible, but the Healer is active amongst us, and inviting us to be active participants today.