We all have hurts and pain that we carry with us every day. God not only knows and cares about all of our hurts, He wants to heal us and help us live more successful lives. The primary purpose of Jesus’ ministry was to heal and redeem lost and hurting humanity.
I want to share with you three reasons why some people are healed and others are not from the principles Jesus taught in John 5:1-9.
First, we need to realize that healing isn’t simply a one-time act of God, healing is a partnership between God and us. In the bible, God never heals someone against their will. However, there are records of Jesus not helping someone because they wouldn’t believe. God is just waiting to help you. Are you willing to let him do so?
I began smoking when I was a teenager and smoked for many years as an adult. Even when I became a Christian, I was still a frequent smoker every day. I would even have quiet times with God and smoke cigarettes. Then the Lord burdened my heart that He couldn’t do with my life what He wanted to do unless I stopped smoking. I had to make a choice to let God help me overcome smoking or continue without following His will. I chose God’s path and he did heal my smoking addiction. I also had to make changes in my life to keep from smoking again.
I learned that help from God always requires: obedience, change and responsibility. God will always require something from us in order to experience a healing. We don’t like change or responsibility because it means we have to live differently. Often we don’t experience the breakthrough God has for us because we aren’t willing to be obedient and responsible.
Secondly, healing isn’t an event, it is a lifestyle. People are waiting for an event or one experience that will change their life. Healing may begin immediately, but the process of a lifestyle change happens over time.
I was verbally abusive to Karen early in our marriage. Every day I beat her down with the words from my mouth and it eroded the intimacy in our relationship. Literally, we were on the brink of divorce. I didn’t want to lose Karen but I didn’t know how to keep her.
I asked God to help and I remember Karen saying “The worst things you have ever done to me were with your mouth.” I asked God to heal my speech and change my tone and words with Karen. He did. However, I also had to make changes in my life. I had to learn to speak differently. I had to learn not to dominate my wife and begin valuing her opinions and thoughts.
God wants to help all of us, but the healing isn’t just to change how we feel. It is to change the way we live.
Finally, healing isn’t focused on just relieving our pain or problems. It is focused on redeeming God’s eternal purpose for our lives. You may be thinking, “I like the way I am. Why should I make changes to the way I live?” If you are willing to change, God’s destiny and purpose can be fulfilled in your life.
Over the last thirty years, the Lord has healed our marriage, our minds and our emotions. He has healed everything in our lives. Our attitude is, “God, if you’ll heal our marriage, we will try to help other people.” And that is exactly what we’ve tried to do.
God wants to use your scars and pain to heal your life and help other people. Will you let Him change you today? Do you want God to use you to change other people’s lives? Then it begins by realizing that healing is a partnership and a process, not just a one-time event.