“When being healed becomes the only goal it’s a problem”

Joni Eareckson Tada on her new book, in an interview with Amy Sullivan for Time:

So when you work with people in great pain, do you encourage them to let go of the desire to be healed?

We can certainly ask to be healed. Even I ask for healing regarding this pain, regarding this cancer. Anyone who takes the Bible seriously agrees that God hates suffering. Jesus spent most of his time relieving it. But when being healed becomes the only goal — "I'm not letting go until I get what I want" — it's a problem. There comes a point at which if you don't start living, your whole life is spent jumping from one healing crusade to the next.