Healing Through Faith Alone!

I was reading This talk today and I found myself understanding better a question my husband I have asked each other and which I have been pondering about for some time now. The question has been this: "If I can heal by faith alone, according to doctrine, then Why is a priesthood blessing so important?"  I don't know about you, but I love receiving priesthood blessings.  I believe in them. I believe the blessings I receive are coming from God. I believe my husband carrys with him the sacred responsibility of administering blessings for the healing of the sick. I have been comforted, been guided and been given sacred promises of healing through these blessings. This isn't a question of faith for me but rather a question of how Faith works and how it correlates with the priesthood authority that has been restored to this earth today, particularly the restoration of blessings for the Healing of the sick and afflicted. I know miracles happen. I have experienced many in my life and seen many in others. In this talk I listened to, by Elder Dallin H. Oaks, He shares

 The use of medical science is not at odds with our prayers of faith and our reliance on priesthood blessings. When a person requested a priesthood blessing, Brigham Young would ask, “Have you used any remedies?” To those who said no because “we wish the Elders to lay hands upon us, and we have faith that we shall be healed,” President Young replied: “That is very inconsistent according to my faith. If we are sick, and ask the Lord to heal us, and to do all for us that is necessary to be done, according to my understanding of the Gospel of salvation, I might as well ask the Lord to cause my wheat and corn to grow, without my plowing the ground and casting in the seed. It appears consistent to me to apply every remedy that comes within the range of my knowledge, and [then] to ask my Father in Heaven … to sanctify that application to the healing of my body.”1

Of course we don’t wait until all other methods are exhausted before we pray in faith or give priesthood blessings for healing. In emergencies, prayers and blessings come first. Most often we pursue all efforts simultaneously. This follows the scriptural teachings that we should “pray always” (D&C 90:24) and that all things should be done in wisdom and order.2

The thought came to me, If I am acting in Faith, doing all I can to receive those healing blessings from Christ (as I believe all healing, even in the medical world is truly an endowment from Christ) and I am STILL not healing, THIS is where the priesthood authority comes in. It directs Christ's power and will in an exact course, to those seeking the priesthood blessings. Like the quote above states, we don't need to wait until we have run ourselves dead, seeking treatment and help of all kinds. But we can ask ourselves: Am I acting in Faith? Am I doing my part? In the culmination of it all, I think any person believing in the doctrine taught within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints can say that healing, often times, will require both Faith AND a Priesthood blessing NOT just one or the other.
So, to answer the question: If I can heal by Faith alone, Why is a priesthood blessing necessary? My answer, for now, would be: because sometimes Faith alone, for whatever reason, can not provide the miracle sought, and Proper Priesthood authority is required to enable those blessings.

What are your personal thoughts and inspirations about Healing through Faith or Healing through Priesthood Authority?