Yes...but

Have you ever prayed for someone that had a problem in their life that just never seemed to improve? Are you met with “Yes… but…” when you offer suggestions or good advice to this person? There are people who ask for healing, pray for healing, but don’t really want to be healed. I will share an entry from Dan Miller of 48 Days that is a great insight to this “problem person” (and “person with problems”) in your life.

"Sometimes there’s a comfortable misery in predictable, repeating failure.

There was a pool in Jerusalem near the sheep market that was believed to have special properties. The belief was that every so often, at an unexpected time, an angel would stir the water, and then whoever managed to jump in first would be healed. In John 5 in the Bible, we read where Jesus was walking by and heard the whining voice of a guy who had been coming there every day for 38 years. Jesus walked up to him and asked, “Wilt thou be made whole?” (Dude, do you want to get well?) The guy was probably offended and thought to himself “Of course I do. Haven’t I been coming here every day for 38 years?” (John 5: 5-9)

But we know Jesus could see through to the heart. The question was a legitimate one. “Do you want to get well?” I suspect that enjoying poor health, hanging around at the pool, receiving other people’s sympathy and handouts had become this guy’s profession. Of course he had reasons to complain. Can’t you see how bad things are? He had probably long since lost any hope of changing his situation and created his own private little welfare system.

Seeing into his heart Jesus said “Get up and walk!” A little confused by the authority the guy actually found out he could stand up and walk. Whoa! No more comfort of self-pity, no more sympathy from friends, no more of the predictable familiarity of justified whining and complaining. What do you suppose happened the next morning when this guy’s mom and day suggested he go out and get a job?

How many people do you know whose anger, resentment and “victim” mentality has become their identity? “If I got a job, my disability checks would stop.” “If it weren’t for this pain in my leg, I’d be willing to go to work.” “You know the economy is bad-there aren’t any jobs available.” “I’m suing the company because they fired me after only four days of being late.” Not everyone who is “down and out” wants their life to change. There’s safety in being down and out. The real test and responsibility come with being healthy and well. Thus the question, “Wilt thou be made whole?”

Sometime I fear we sabotage our own success because the familiarity of the known is more comfortable than the uncertainty of the unknown possibilities. If you were offered the chance for a better future, would you take advantage of it? Is there any “sickness” that you are hanging on to?"