Do You Want to Be Made Well?

Jul 15

You can be free–right now, because I have set you free. But do you believe it? Do you believe me? Will you take action towards this belief? For there is freedom for you from all the ways you are entrapped–when you step toward it, when you step toward me, now.

* * *

Settle yourself in a comfortable position. Shrug your shoulders up and down. Gently roll your head, being careful with your neck. Rotate your wrists around one way and then the other way. Straighten your back, being aware of each vertebra. Stretch your legs, straighten your knees, and rotate your ankles.

Next, consider placing your hand on your abdomen as you take a number of deep, slow breaths, in and out. Breathe deeply in through your nose and out through your mouth. Continue breathing deeply and intentionally with your hands open, and palms relaxed in your lap.

As you breathe, draw inward, focusing your attention on his presence within you.

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, You are welcome here. Thank You for being here with me. Right now, I give You my attention.

I consecrate this time with You—bringing my heart, my mind, all my thoughts and expectations under your authority.

Now, let’s give to God every worry and concern, every feeling of stress, each burden and distraction. Name them and see Him taking each weight from you now…

Lord, I give You ____________________________________________________

Next, let’s consider the following verses, Isaiah 61: 1-3. Read it once, silently, letting the words move through you. Hear Jesus’ voice speaking these words to you, over you.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.

Then, read the passage again, perhaps even out loud. Notice how Holy Spirit is moving your heart now–what conversation He is initiating with you through this passage. Perhaps ask yourself these questions:

Jesus, what word/s do You want me to notice more than others?
How am I brokenhearted?
How do I need freedom? How am I mourning?
How do I need comfort?

Take your time, staying with Jesus here. Don’t hurry. Allow your heart space to linger. See Jesus with you now, guiding you and speaking to your heart. If it helps you stay focused, consider writing down the conversation you are having with Jesus now in your journal. Or, write about your feelings or memories…or draw the images that you are seeing in your imagination as you stay with this passage.

Then…take a breath. In…(for a count of four)...Out (for a count of four). Jesus is so in love with you. Let your heart love Him back for a moment….

Jesus, I love You…I love You…I love You…

Now, we are going to turn our attention to the freedom Jesus is offering us now by considering this idea: Sometimes, our minds can entrap us, particularly in our areas of brokenness, when we have not been healed, and we have the attitude of a victim rather than someone whom Jesus has rescued. A victim mindset can take residence in our places of brokenness. This mindset gets in the way of our capacity for healing, growth, and overcoming. It makes us stuck. (Do you know how your brokenness might make you feel stuck?)

Let’s engage with Jesus about how our mindset might be a snare, prohibiting our connection with Him and the life of freedom He intends for us to have.

Jesus, what are my places of brokenness?
How am I stuck?
How do I feel powerless due to my circumstances or the influence of another person?

Open my ears, the ears of my heart, Jesus. Help me to act–rise up–make decisions in truth and faith. Help me not be overcome by fear.

Now, let’s read (Jesus, help me to hear Your voice now) the following passage–John, chapter 5: 1-14. As you read, imagine the scene. Are you a spectator? Are you a disciple, listening to Jesus’ conversation? Are you the paralyzed man near the pool? How is Holy Spirit directing your attention as you take in this situation?

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.”

But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ”

So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?”

The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there.

Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Have a conversation with Jesus about this scene, particularly the conversation between Jesus and the man. Below are some potential questions to consider asking Jesus.

Jesus, how has a victim mindset, like that of the paralyzed man, become comfortable for me? How are You inviting me to be an overcomer, Jesus? How are you energizing me, emboldening me with your love?

What personal brokenness have I become comfortable with, accepting it as part of my identity?

How does an attitude of victimhood block me from faith, love, and/or hope?

Next, imagine Jesus asking you the same question He asks the paralyzed man: “Do you want to get well?” What do you say?

Jesus,______________________________________________________________

What new mindset is Jesus inviting you to have? How will you practice this mindset?

=> This is the new mindset Jesus is inviting me to have: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

=> This is how I will practice this new mindset: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Continue your conversation with Jesus about this new mindset, asking Him for strength and help as you trust in Him…..

Amen.