Despite the Pain
By Anthony Casperson
11-9-24

As the man told his story, I could only shake my head in annoyance. (Which is no mean feat considering my current neck situation.) My head shaking wasn’t at him, but at the person who was trying to console him in the story.

His tale concerned a time much earlier in the man’s life where, as a teen, he was fearful about his dad’s death. A terrible disease set rapidly upon his dad. And death sped ever closer. It was at that time when some people from his church came over to pray for the family. One of whom saw that this teen struggled pretty badly with the situation.

However, what this well-meaning person told the young man was one of the worst things he could’ve said. He quoted Jesus’ words from John 14:14, “If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it,” and told the teen that if he just prayed for his dad’s healing, then it would happen.

This is why I say that we need to be careful about what promises we forge God’s name to, lest the people bounce when the check does.

Because that’s exactly what the man telling the story ended up doing for a time. His faith took a major hit. One which could’ve ended even worse, like so many others unfortunately do. Thankfully, the man eventually quit blaming God for a falsely proclaimed promise. But his eventual return to faith isn’t the most common direction to similar stories.

See, the issue wasn’t that the verse had been misquoted. Those are exactly John 14:14’s words. Rather, the problem was that it was ripped from its context and then misapplied.

If we look at John 14 as a whole, it’s part of what Jesus said to the eleven Apostles on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane. The surrounding chapters show more of his words, but zooming out more might be a bit too much for this blog. (Look it up to see the even greater context.) Essentially, what Jesus says in the chapter are instructions and encouragements to the Eleven on the last night he’d be with them before his death.

And in John 14:9-21 Jesus answers Philip’s request to show them the Father. Jesus’ response is that since they have seen him, they’ve seen the Father. Jesus is the exact image of the Father. And the things which Jesus does are the deeds of the Father, because Jesus speaks and works according to the authority of the Father.

It’s here where Jesus tells the Eleven that they will do even greater things under the authority of the Father. And then says the words of verses 13-14, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (And the following parts of his words explain that it is because of the presence of the Holy Spirit that such deeds can be done in Jesus’ name.)

But notice what verse 13 implies about the promise. If Jesus only does the will of the Father, and he will do whatever we ask in his name, then it is only when we pray in accordance with the will of the Father that the promise can be applied. Only when we join God in his will, that the work will happen.

This then means that “in Jesus’ name” isn’t some magical formula to get whatever we want, but rather a way to say that it’s something Jesus himself would pray for. And thus, what he would do.

It’s a promise of authority when we work with God. Not a promise of a genie ready to give whatever his selfish little master wants.

And even more, notice verse 13 again. It says that what is done in Jesus’ name is for the glory of the Father. When we join God in his work—in Jesus’ name—we will do that which brings the Father glory.

The good that God does is always for his glory and the growth of his people, those who love him.

And speaking of God working good for those who love him, we can actually turn to another oft-misapplied passage, Romans 8:28. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

In the context of this verse, we see that the working together for our good also isn’t a promise of anything and everything. Again, it’s not the granting of our every wishing whim.

Rather, it’s an encouragement through the difficult times of our lives that God is with us. Through that same Holy Spirit that Jesus speaks about in John 14. The Spirit who helps us in our weakness. And who intercedes for us according to the will of God.

Just as how our prayers are effective when we pray in Jesus’ name—when we pray in alignment with the will of the Father—so too, the good into which God works all things comes directly from his will. The “good” is our growth in him. Our growth to be holy as he is holy.

This is the will and work of God. To bring himself glory and to grow us spiritually to be more and more like him.

And that is exactly what God does in the world. His control of all things brings it all about in this existence of creation. We need not worry when things seem to go badly for us, because God is in control. We might not understand how this terrible situation brings God glory or causes us to grow more like him, but it is no less true in the worst of situations.

What would it have meant to the man telling that introductory story, if the person had applied Jesus’ words correctly? If he’d said, “Your dad’s health is reason for you to be concerned. You have every right to be. But know that God is in control. Pray in Jesus’ name, just like he said in John 14:13-14, and if it’s God’s will, then your dad will get better. But if it’s not his will, then pray to see how God is glorified through it. Seek him either way because God is in control. He loves you and wants what’s best for you, even if none of us understands how the bad can grow us closer to him.”

Words such as these might’ve allowed the man to strengthen his faith much earlier than he did. And similar words might just have allowed so many more to stay true to God, instead of going another way.

No matter what difficult situation you are in right now, no matter what part of your world isn’t going the way you’d hoped for, no matter what pain you’re currently experiencing, remember that God is in control.

Pray in Jesus’ name. Join God in his work and will. Look for his glory. Grow in him.

God is in control, despite the pain.