Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
I am not even going to lie, this month has been a rough one. I pulled a hamstring about 3 weeks ago, bruised my knee falling on ice on Superbowl Sunday, and this past Saturday, I bruised my tailbone. In short, I feel pretty beat up. And it would be really easy for me to be angry about being in pain, having these injuries mess up my plans, and receiving all this bad luck. But instead, I am joyful. And no, it is not the pain meds talking.
I am joyful because I am trying to freely receive God's gifts, blessings, and plans for me. And though I believe with all my heart that God could instantly heal this pain, I freely receive the love He exhibits by allowing me to suffer, even just a little. Confused? Suffering allows me to more heavily rely on Jesus. At times, when I try to move, I am anticipating the pain to come (it hurts each time I change positions). My limbs start to shake, I start to sweat, and I know there is no way I can do this by myself. Luckily, I do not have to, because He is with me every step of the way. What an awesome gift that is!
So, while I would love to freely receive the gift of healing, I would much rather freely receive the gift of Jesus. And just as freely as I received this gift, I want to share it, and give it to you. So, if you are suffering today, know that you are loved, and supported, not only by little old insignificant me, but also by a triune of the utmost significance- Father, Son, and Spirit.
And maybe that will provide healing of another kind.
