Kay Arthur's powerful story from the streets of Jerusalem introduces us to a beggar who deliberately maintained his infected leg wound to receive charity from tourists. Despite having access to medical care, he chose to remain unwell because he had built his entire livelihood around his injury. This modern parallel to the biblical account in John 5 – where Jesus encounters a man who had been ill for 38 years – raises a profound question for all of us.
Jesus asked the man beside the pool of Bethesda if he wanted to be made well, he presented him with a choice: continue in familiar suffering or embrace healing that would require life transformation. Today, that same question echoes in our lives. Have we, perhaps unconsciously, chosen to remain unwell in certain areas because wellness would demand significant change? Have we built identities around our limitations, wounds, or struggles because they've become comfortable?
God promises to walk alongside us through every change, creating something new within us that surpasses what we leave behind. But the choice remains ours – do we truly want to be well? Are we ready to embrace healing in every area of our lives—emotional, physical, and spiritual—even if it means releasing what has become normal?
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