Do You Want To Get Well?

Today I was reading in the book of John and came across a verse that I had read before so many times but today it really jumped out at me.

The verse is found in John Chapter 5 where Jesus is in Jerusalem and meets an invalid who is waiting to be healed. This particular man had been waiting 38 years to be healed. And Jesus simply asks him "do you want to get well?" (John 5:6)

"Do you want to get well?"
6 words that say it all. Of course this man is going to respond "YES! I want to get well" Why wouldn't he? Why wouldn't this invalid man want to live a life that is free from an ailing body?
And yet, he comes up with excuses instead. "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me" answers the man.

This is my life to a T. So often I allow myself to wallow in my own self pity. Or I become so obsessed with a new fad that I cannot seem to pull myself out of it, even when it leads me to sin. I allow myself to come up with excuse after excuse. "I'll have a quiet time tomorrow"..."Everyone else is doing it"..."It's too hard"..."I don't have enought time"...etc, etc, etc.

Do you want to get well?

Of course I want to get well. Of course I want to live a life that is glorifying to God. Of course I want to be free from sin.


Do you want to get well?
What if getting well means having to end a bad relationship?
What if it means sacrificing sleep so that I can get up early to pray and worship?
What if it means that I have to deny my desires?
What if it means that I have to humble myself and admit my weakness?
Do I really want to do all of that to be well again?

Getting well means that I have to confess my sin and turn from it. I waste so much time and energy being bitter, or avoiding situations, or trying to pretend that what I'm doing is ok. And I can't see how sick and weak it is making me spiritually.
The invalid in the story wasted 38 years...how much time have I wasted?

And then Jesus commands the invalid "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." And just like that the invalid is healed. Jesus gives the command but the invalid makes the decision to get up and believe.

Jesus does the same for us. He died for us and he commands that we live according to the will of his Father. But it is our job to take our mats: our lives, our gifts, our relationships, and do something with them.

Do you want to get well?
What's holding you back?