John 5:5-9 There was a certain man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to get well?” The invalid answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am coming [to get into it myself], someone else steps down ahead of me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up; pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man was healed and recovered his strength, and picked up his pallet and walked.

There are a few things that stand out to me in this story of the man seeking healing. Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be well. On the surface that seems like a crazy question. Why would anyone with chronic sickness not want to me well? However, I know there are times we have been stuck in bondage, either mental or physical, for so long we forget that we can be made well. We get so used to it that it becomes part of who we are. We allow it to become part of our identity. It isn’t that we like it, but we get to a place of acceptance because we have lived with it so long, and it feels like nothing is ever going to change.

I personally got to that place in my own life in many ways. I allowed sickness to become a huge part of who I identified as. It was part of me. If you asked me who I was I would immediately think of chronic sickness and suffering. I joined tons of Facebook groups for support, but it always turned into a pity party for the most part. We were all sick and that was all we talked about.

Somewhere along the way my focus shifted from waiting on my healing in faith to wondering if I would ever be healed, and eventually feeling like God had forgotten me. I felt overlooked and that is when I started seeking my healing from any means possible. It didn’t really matter to me anymore if it can from God in the form of a miracle or where it came from. I just wanted to be well. I chased doctors, treatments, and even healing ministries, but I stopped seeking God with my whole heart. I was seeking healing with my whole heart. It was so subtle that I didn’t even realize it was happening until God opened my eyes to my sin.

Once He opened my eyes I had to repent and get my focus back on Him. It is so easy to start seeking His blessings and what He offers. It is something we need to guard our hearts against, pray about, and also something we need to regularly spend time in self reflection about.

The next part that really stands out to me is the answer the man gave Jesus. He had his eyes on the water and thought that was the only way he could be healed. The Son of God was speaking to him, but he had his eyes on the water and totally missed that his Healer was right in front of Him. I wonder how many times we have our eyes on things other than Jesus? How many times we think we “just know” how our breakthrough will happen so we get so hyper focused on that one direction that we cannot see anything else? Do we miss our breakthrough because it doesn’t come how with think it will or how we think it should?

This story also shows us a glimpse of the heart of Jesus. He saw the man and He healed him. It didn’t matter how long he had been sick and bound Jesus set Him free in an instant and the good news is He can do the same for us!

I want to encourage you no matter what you are facing don’t let it become your identity. The Lord wants you free, whole, and healed. Keep your eyes on Him and refuse to believe the lies of the enemy. Jesus still heals and sets the captives free!!

If you want to learn more about walking in the identity given to you by God please follow this link: https://youtu.be/8Txxq2AABR8?si=XIBkSv93de2uERMX

If you want to hear my full testimony of how the Lord set me free please follow this link: https://youtu.be/6guNDljYLCo?si=xnQQQr8YAtBgUlfd

Blessings,

Nichole Henson

Fullness of Joy Ministry