Strong spirits: Do you want to be well?

We all have something in our lives that we wish was otherwise, don't we? Some needed healing of a relationship; some long-held resentment; a needed physical, emotional, or spiritual healing; a financial problem. And wouldn't it be nice if someone just came along and took care of it? Or would it?

Jesus met a man beside a healing pool in Jerusalem who had been sick for 38 years, waiting beside the pool for a healing that never came. Jesus asked him a very pointed, important question: "Do you want to be well?" (John 5:6).

Ask yourself that question. Do you want to be well, or have you grown so accustomed to the problem that you've stopped believing there can be a healing?

I believe Jesus wants to give us an abundant life and to set us free from the things that prevent that. Are we willing to let go? Do we want to be well?

Besides serving as pastor at Caledonia Congregational Church, Gary Schwerin is the Spiritual Development Minister for the YMCA of the Rock River Valley and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries of Rockford. Prior to launching Bridge Ministries, Gary spent many years in leadership with Young Life. His columns appear here every Sunday - to see them all, subscribe to our daily email.

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