Patience and Persistence

When it comes to healing I often find it difficult to read James’ instructions. James records in chapter5 -

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

It all seems a matter of fact. Do these things and healing will occur, except it’s not always that simple. So how can this passage be true? I have differing theories about this but for now, I find the reference to Elijah to be most interesting. James is referring to 1 Kings 18: 41ff -

And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.” The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”

I get the impression that Elijah did not pray for rain one time but possibly seven times in order that rain might occur. What does that say to us about patience and persistence. Therefore the prayer of a righteous man is persistent, faith-filled and effective!