Humility and Healing: Lessons from Naaman's Journey
Summary
The story of Naaman, the Syrian commander afflicted with leprosy, offers a profound lesson about our search for wholeness and the assumptions we bring to God. Naaman was a man of great stature and accomplishment, yet he faced a problem he could not solve on his own. When he heard of a prophet in Israel who could heal him, he set out with gifts, letters, and expectations—believing that healing would come through impressive means, befitting his status. Instead, he encountered a series of humbling surprises: the prophet Elisha did not even come out to meet him, but sent a messenger with simple instructions to wash in the Jordan River seven times.
Naaman’s initial reaction was anger and resentment. He expected a dramatic, dignified healing, not a humiliating dip in a muddy river. His pride and assumptions nearly kept him from the very healing he sought. It was only when he listened to the wise counsel of his servants and obeyed the prophet’s instructions that he was made whole—his skin restored, but more importantly, his heart transformed. He came to recognize the God of Israel as the one true God, and his physical healing became secondary to the spiritual wholeness he received.
This narrative challenges us to examine our own assumptions about how God works in our lives. We often want quick, painless solutions to our problems, and we may resist God’s instructions when they don’t align with our expectations or comfort. Yet, true wholeness comes not from having our circumstances instantly changed, but from surrendering to God’s will, even when it is mysterious or difficult. Sometimes, God’s path to healing involves humbling ourselves, serving others, or enduring suffering that leads to deeper redemption.
The story also reminds us that suffering, while not always redemptive in itself, is often the context in which God brings about transformation. Jesus himself suffered to bring us life and wholeness, and he calls us to follow him—even when that means sharing in his sufferings. The promise is that if we walk in obedience, trusting God’s wisdom above our own, we will find a wholeness that surpasses physical healing—a wholeness rooted in relationship with the living God.
Key Takeaways
- Pride and Assumptions Can Block God’s Healing
Naaman’s story reveals how our pride and preconceived notions about how God should act can actually prevent us from receiving the healing and wholeness we desire. When we insist on our own terms, we risk missing the simple, sometimes humbling ways God chooses to work. True openness to God requires letting go of our expectations and being willing to obey, even when it doesn’t make sense to us. [11:38]
- Obedience Precedes Wholeness, Not the Other Way Around
Naaman was not made whole when his leprosy left, but when he surrendered to God’s instructions and acknowledged the Lord as the only true God. Physical healing was a byproduct of spiritual obedience. In our own lives, wholeness comes as we submit to God’s will, trusting that his ways—though sometimes mysterious—lead to life and peace. [22:18]
- Suffering Can Be the Pathway to Redemption
While not all suffering is redemptive, there is no redemption without some form of suffering. Naaman’s leprosy led him to seek God, and his wounded pride was part of his journey to faith. In the same way, our hardships can become the very means by which God draws us closer, shapes our character, and reveals his sufficiency. [24:36]
- God’s Instructions May Not Align with Our Preferences
We often want God to fix our problems quickly and painlessly, but sometimes his instructions challenge our comfort and logic. Like Naaman, we may be called to take steps that seem insignificant or even foolish. Yet, it is in following God’s specific guidance—however unexpected—that we discover true healing and transformation. [16:28]
- Wholeness Is Found in Christ, Not in Circumstances
Ultimately, the deepest healing is not physical but spiritual. Jesus suffered to make us whole, and he invites us to share in his life, even if that means sharing in his sufferings. Our hope is not in the removal of every pain, but in the promise that, as we follow Christ, we are made whole in him—now and forever. [25:36]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[00:10] - Jubilee Ringers and Opening Story
[01:28] - Our Desire for Wholeness and Easy Solutions
[02:19] - Introduction to Naaman’s Story
[03:42] - Scripture Reading: 2 Kings 5
[07:03] - Mistaken Assumptions of Kings and Naaman
[10:27] - Elisha Steps In
[11:38] - Our Assumptions About God’s Healing
[13:27] - Naaman’s Expectations vs. God’s Instructions
[14:38] - Expectation as Premeditated Resentment
[15:50] - Naaman’s Obedience and Healing
[16:28] - God’s Unconventional Paths to Wholeness
[19:17] - The Cost of Discipleship and Fear of Commitment
[21:45] - Doing It God’s Way
[24:36] - Suffering and Redemption
[25:36] - Christ’s Suffering and Our Wholeness
[27:11] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Story of Naaman and the Path to Wholeness
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### Bible Reading
- 2 Kings 5:1-15 (The story of Naaman and Elisha)
- Romans 8:16-18 (Sharing in Christ’s sufferings and future glory)
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### Observation Questions
1. What were some of the assumptions Naaman, the king of Aram, and the king of Israel made about how healing would happen? ([07:03])
2. How did Elisha respond when Naaman arrived at his house, and what instructions did he give? ([05:36])
3. What was Naaman’s initial reaction to Elisha’s instructions, and why did he feel that way? ([14:01])
4. According to Romans 8:16-18, what does Paul say about suffering and glory for those who belong to Christ? ([26:13])
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### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Naaman was so offended by the idea of washing in the Jordan River? What does this reveal about his expectations and pride? ([14:01])
2. The sermon says Naaman’s wholeness came not when his leprosy left, but when he surrendered to God’s instructions. What does this suggest about the relationship between obedience and healing? ([22:18])
3. The story highlights that suffering can be a pathway to redemption. In what ways did Naaman’s suffering lead him to a deeper understanding of God? ([24:36])
4. How does Paul’s teaching in Romans 8 connect to the story of Naaman? What does it mean to share in Christ’s sufferings and also in his glory? ([26:13])
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### Application Questions
1. Can you think of a time when your own expectations or pride kept you from accepting help or following God’s direction? What happened, and what did you learn from it? ([11:38])
2. The sermon points out that we often want God to fix our problems quickly and painlessly. Are there areas in your life right now where you are resisting God’s instructions because they don’t match your preferences? What would it look like to surrender in those areas? ([16:28])
3. Naaman almost missed his healing because he wanted things done his way. Is there something God is asking you to do that feels beneath you, uncomfortable, or confusing? How might obedience in that area lead to growth or healing? ([14:01])
4. The story suggests that sometimes God’s path to wholeness involves serving others or enduring hardship. Is there a specific way you sense God calling you to serve or persevere right now? ([17:01])
5. The sermon says, “Not all suffering is redemptive, but there is no redemption apart from suffering.” How have you seen God use suffering in your life or someone else’s life to bring about transformation or deeper faith? ([24:36])
6. Romans 8 promises that if we share in Christ’s sufferings, we will also share in his glory. How does this promise encourage you in your current struggles? ([26:13])
7. The pastor mentioned that sometimes we want to be well on our own terms, but true wholeness comes from doing it God’s way. What is one practical step you can take this week to trust and obey God, even if it doesn’t make sense to you right now? ([21:45])
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Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for humility, openness to God’s ways, and courage to obey—even when it’s hard or doesn’t make sense. Ask God to use any suffering or challenges as a pathway to deeper wholeness in Christ.
Devotional
Day 1: Obedience to God’s Instructions Leads to Wholeness
Wholeness is found not in our own plans or expectations, but in humbly following the path God sets before us—even when it doesn’t make sense or feels beneath us. Like Naaman, we may come to God with our own ideas of how healing or growth should happen, but true transformation comes when we surrender our pride and obey, trusting that God’s wisdom far surpasses our own. Sometimes, the steps God asks us to take seem simple or even foolish, but it is in our obedience that we find the restoration and peace we truly seek. [22:02]
2 Kings 5:10-14 (ESV)
And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.” But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. But his servants came near and said to him, “My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
Reflection: What is one area where you sense God asking you to obey, even if it doesn’t make sense to you? Will you take a step of obedience today, trusting Him with the outcome?
Day 2: Suffering Can Lead to Redemption and Spiritual Growth
Not all suffering is redemptive, but there is no redemption apart from suffering; God often uses our pain and disappointments to draw us closer to Him, to teach us humility, and to reveal His power in our weakness. When we face trials, we may be tempted to resent God or question His goodness, but it is often through these very hardships that we are brought to a deeper understanding of His love and our need for Him. Like Naaman, our suffering can become the doorway to spiritual renewal and a new relationship with God if we allow it to turn us toward Him rather than away. [24:36]
Romans 8:16-18 (ESV)
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
Reflection: Think of a recent hardship or disappointment—how might God be inviting you to grow or draw closer to Him through it, rather than simply seeking relief?
Day 3: God’s Ways Are Not Our Ways
We often approach God with assumptions about how He should act or what He should do for us, but God’s methods and timing are rarely what we expect. Like the kings and Naaman in the story, we may believe that status, wealth, or our own plans will secure what we need, but God delights in confounding our expectations to show that His power and wisdom are far greater than ours. True faith means letting go of our need to control the process and trusting that God’s way, though sometimes mysterious, is always best. [07:40]
Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Reflection: Where have you been holding onto your own expectations of how God should work in your life? What would it look like to release those expectations and trust His way today?
Day 4: Wholeness Begins with Surrender, Not Just Physical Healing
True wholeness is not merely the absence of physical suffering, but the restoration of our relationship with God—a surrender of our hearts and lives to Him. Naaman’s story shows that the real miracle was not just the cleansing of his skin, but the transformation of his spirit as he recognized the one true God and committed himself to worship and obedience. Physical healing is secondary to the deeper healing God desires to do in our souls, making us whole from the inside out. [22:18]
Psalm 51:16-17 (ESV)
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you need to surrender your heart to God, rather than just seeking relief from a problem? How can you offer Him your whole self today?
Day 5: Selective Obedience Hinders Spiritual Growth
We often want the blessings of God without the challenge of full obedience, picking and choosing which parts of His Word to follow. Yet, true spiritual growth and well-being come when we submit to God’s authority in every area of our lives, even when it challenges our comfort, pride, or preferences. God’s call is not to a self-help program, but to a life of discipleship—following Jesus wherever He leads, trusting that His way leads to true life and peace. [20:44]
James 1:22-25 (ESV)
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
Reflection: In what area of your life have you been practicing “selective obedience”? What is one step you can take today to fully submit to God’s will in that area?
Quotes
We know that exercise and activity makes us more fit, more healthy, more whole. We want to be well. We want to be whole, but we always want it to be as painless as possible. We want to do it our way. We often approach God with that same sort of attitude. Whether we're looking for physical healing or even spiritual growth, we always want it to be painless and easy. It's usually not that simple, though. In fact, almost never so. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. The longer I live, the more I appreciate the truth of the old saying that to see a rainbow, you may have to endure some rain. [00:01:19]
Now, as we look at this story that has a number of uh characters in it, they nearly all make some incorrect assumptions along the way. It begins with the mistaken assumptions of the king of Aram. His name was Ben Hay had. And he assumes first of all that a king-to- king communique was what was in order. No point in dealing with the the lesser people. He'd go right to the top. He'd write a letter to the king of Israel to let him know what he expected because he assumed also that the king of Israel was in charge. that if there was a prophet in Israel who could cleanse non of his leprosy, then that prophet must certainly be at the king's disposal. [00:07:03]
But non himself makes some incorrect assumptions. First about what he needs for the trip. He assumes he's going to need money as a gift to pay for his healing. He didn't think it was going to be free. And he assumes he's going to need the king's letter as his credentials so that the king of Israel, Jehoram was his name, would uh know that non was legit, that everything was on the up and up. But then the king of Israel makes some incorrect assumptions about this letter that he receives. He thinks the intent of the king of Aram, Benhad, has uh malicious intent. [00:08:32]
But then thankfully the man of God comes to the rescue. I like stories where the man of God gets to be the hero. I wonder why that is. Uh this is uh not Superman but preacher man. You might say Superman is faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Preacher man may not be quite that, but he is faster than a frantic nursery volunteer. He is more powerful than a Mexican casserole and a covered dish supper. He is able to leap short pews with a running start. He is preacher man. And preacher man in this instance is Elisha the prophet. [00:09:38]
But instead, Elisha sends out a messenger. Elisha doesn't come out himself. He sends somebody to tell non what he needs to do. Now, that in itself would have been seen and apparently was by non as a bit of an insult, if you will. And he assumes that the healing that he went there to get would be something simple according to his expectations and assumptions. We make our own assumptions about health and well-being just like he did. We assume that God wants us all to be physically well all the time. That God will heal us if we just have enough faith. [00:10:58]
We assume that pain and suffering are devoid of anything positive or beneficial and they're they're simply to be avoided or alleviated as quickly as possible. Those are our assumptions anyway. But are they correct? Are they accurate? How can we reconcile assumptions like that with Jesus call to live in sacrificial disciplehip? Why do we look for the easy answers in the easy way when Jesus says the path to life is straight and narrow? How can we imagine a painless pilgrimage through life when Jesus says that whoever follows him must deny himself and take up a cross of his own if he's going to find life. [00:12:00]
You see, our assumptions about the path to wholeness tend to be no more accurate than those of non in our story. Well, non was there outside of Elisha's house. His expectations were misplaced. He expected the faith healer special. He says as much expected him to wave his hand, say the magic words, call on his god. Maybe non had been watching the late night TV healers and expected Elisha to come out, slap him on the head, and say, "Be hailed in the name of Yahweh." Those were his expectations. Something simple. Get it done. Get it over with. [00:12:56]
That gives me an opportunity to say something I heard from someone sometime. And it is this expectation is premeditated resentment. Non expected a certain thing from this man of God. And when it didn't work that way, he grew resentful. He set himself up for that resentment, for that anger, for that hurt, that insult. But thankfully for non at least, his servants were able to bring him to his senses. In verse 13, they say, "If he had told you to do some great thing, you would have done that, wouldn't you?" Well, then how much more this simple thing to go and wash seven times in the Jordan River? [00:14:40]
They were persuasive enough that non decided, well, I've come all this way. I guess I'll go ahead and and do what the prophet said. He followed Elisha's instructions, which of course came from God, and he was healed. He was cleansed. He was made new again. his his skin like that of a young boy. We have to admit that if we're honest, we want God to do the same sort of simple thing for our problems. We want God to wave his hand over our issues, cause them miraculously and instantaneously to disappear. We're much like non in that regard. [00:15:39]
But sometimes God prescribes a course of action that we have to take in order to find wholeness just as na uh non did. Sometimes that course of action may not make sense to us in our distress in our issue in our problem. It may not add up the way this didn't add up for non in this story. Sometimes God says if you want to find health and wholeness, help someone else find health and wholeness. Be an agent of healing in someone else's life and then you'll find healing in your own life. And we don't understand that. [00:16:36]
We react like non reacted, surprised, confused, angry, maybe even resentful toward God when he doesn't meet our expectations. But if we follow God's instructions and if we keep God's commands like non, we can be made whole. Are you looking for wholeness and well-being in your life? You'd be unusual if you weren't. We all want those things. If you're looking for that in your life, then follow God's instructions for life because that's where it can be found. [00:17:29]
You know, some people won't go to doctors when they're sick because they're more afraid of the cure than they are of the disease. And so, they postpone it. They put it off. They make excuses. I knew a man like that who put off going to the doctor for so long that by the time he finally went, they couldn't do anything for him. And just three short weeks later, I preached his funeral. And we say that's crazy. How foolish is that? He could have gone to the doctor when he first noticed something wasn't right. Perhaps they could have cured it. [00:18:14]
Perap perhaps he could have been healed. But he was too afraid of the cure to go to the doctor. And you know, there are a lot of people who put off coming to Christ for the very same reason. They're more comfortable in the familiar misery of their sin that results in death than they are with the discipline of disciplehip which leads to life and health and peace and well-being. Are you backing away from a commitment to Christ because you're afraid of what that might entail? afraid of what Christ might expect of you, afraid of what God might want. [00:18:56]
There are Christians who choose to live handicapped Christian lives rather than to stoop to dipping themselves in the Jordan, as it were. Ken Massie is a longtime pastor and chaplain, a key source that I consulted for this message. Years ago, he spoke to the statewide conference of the Texas Christian Life Commission. And he said this, "We read the Bible like a self-help book, not as a call to obedience. We love finding biblical truths that tune up our marriage but skip over the stuff that challenges our politics. We love principles for prosperity but stay clear of anything that defines spirituality and sacrificial terms. [00:20:16]
He says I call it selective interpretation. We want to be well on our own terms. He says, "Everyone wants to get well, but nobody wants to deal with God, the healer, if we deal with God." No telling what God will want. No telling what God will do. No telling what God will say. We want the healing that only God can give us. But we know we're going to get something we don't want in the process, or at least we think we don't want it. When are we going to learn that we have to do it God's way to get God's result to have God's wholeness? [00:21:06]
But when non finally obeyed God's instructions, he was made whole. And as it happens, he was healed of his leprosy in the process. Did you catch that? When he surrendered himself, submitted himself to God's will and God's instruction, he was made whole. And he got his leprosy cleansed along the way. He didn't become whole when the leprosy left his body. He became whole when he recognized that Israel's God is God, the only true God, and that he deserved non's devotion and worship. And non committed to doing that very thing. [00:21:59]
Now, you may be physically suffering this morning. You may have some malady that is challenging you, some thorn in the flesh, if you will, that is pestering you. Well, I can't say that God will heal your body, this side of heaven. But I can tell you that God will make you whole if you let him. If you surrender to his will for your life, if you follow his instructions for living, you can be whole. And something else to that's important to note in this text is when Elisha told the king to send non to him, he didn't say so that he may be healed. [00:22:50]
And non's suffering led to his redemption. His suffering from leprosy is what led him to God's prophet. And the following of God's instructions led to the suffering of his pride and his ego in having to go wash in the Jordan. But through his suffering, he found redemption. Massie says, "Not all suffering is redemptive, but there is no redemption apart from suffering." And there is truth in that. I'm reminded of that old verse that says, "I walked a mile with pleasure. She chatted all the way, but I was none the wiser for what she had to say. I walked a mile with sorrow, and never a word said she. [00:24:10]
But oh the things I learned from her when sorrow walked with me. Jesus Christ suffered to redeem us to make us whole to give us life to save us from our sins to show us how to live. Jesus suffered to accomplish that. He makes us whole whether we are sick or well physically speaking. Whether we are rich or poor, whether we live or whether we die, Jesus makes us whole through his sacrifice on our behalf on the cross. And in that he asks us to follow him and if necessary also to suffer with him. But his word promises that if we suffer with him we will also be glorified with him. [00:24:59]
The apostle Paul says the spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children then we are hes of God and co-airs with Christ if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. And then he says, I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us when Christ who is your life is revealed and you also are revealed with him. You want to be whole? Come to Christ. Follow his instructions for life. [00:26:16]
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