“When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ ”
— Mark 2:5
You might remember this story from Sunday school. A man couldn’t walk — he might even have been more paralyzed than that, we don’t know for sure — and his friends lowered him through Peter’s roof so he could be healed by Jesus. By forgiving the man’s sins first, Jesus showed that it’s more important for our spirits to be healed than our bodies.
It’s very much okay to want to be relieved of pain and scary doctors. Go ahead and pray for that kind of healing, because God wants to hear that from you. Just don’t forget to ask for spiritual health and forgiveness too. Carrying around guilt can make you feel sick in another way that’s just as bad. Would you rather be in bed with a sore throat, a popsicle, and a mom waiting on you hand and foot, or walk around knowing you’ve done something wrong and any minute now someone is going to find out? Just something to think about.
More to Explore: Proverbs 17:22
Girl Talk: What was it like the last time you recovered from being sick or hurt? How did it feel to be well again? That was God at work. What was it like the last time you got something off your chest and were forgiven? How did it feel to be forgiven? That was God at work.
God Talk: “Lord, help me to remember to take care of my body and my soul. I know that the health of both are important to you. Amen.”
From That Is So Me by Nancy Rue