Desiring Healing: Confronting Our Persistent Problems

Devotional

Day 1: Confronting Persistent Problems

Persistent problems in our lives can lead to discouragement, excuses, and compensation, preventing us from experiencing true healing. These issues, whether they are chronic health conditions, addictions, financial struggles, or relational conflicts, often become so familiar that we start to believe they are unchangeable. This belief can lead us to question God's plan for our lives and make excuses, blaming external factors for our inability to overcome them. Instead of addressing the root cause, we learn to function despite these problems, which only perpetuates the cycle. To break free, we must confront these issues head-on and take steps of faith towards change. [02:12]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: Identify a persistent problem in your life that you have grown accustomed to. What is one practical step you can take today to confront this issue and move towards healing?

Day 2: Desiring Healing Over Comfort

Jesus' question, "Do you want to get well?" challenges us to desire healing more than we fear the unknown. Often, we find comfort in our familiar struggles, even when they cause us pain. This comfort can become a significant obstacle to faith, as it keeps us from stepping out and trusting God for the unknown. To experience true healing, our desire for change must be greater than our comfort in the status quo. We must be willing to leave behind what we know and trust God to meet us in our steps of faith. [18:22]

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (ESV): "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart."

Reflection: What familiar struggle are you holding onto because it feels comfortable? How can you begin to desire healing more than the comfort of this struggle today?

Day 3: Stepping Out of Comfort Zones

Healing may not come in the way we expect, but it often requires us to step out of our comfort zones and trust in God's power. This step of faith is crucial, as it demonstrates our willingness to change and our trust in God's ability to heal us. While the process may be challenging, it is through these steps that we open ourselves to the transformative power of God. We must be willing to take practical steps towards change, even when the path is uncertain. [19:18]

2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV): "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to step out of your comfort zone to experience healing? What practical step can you take today to begin this journey?

Day 4: Trusting God for the Unknown

The familiar can be the greatest obstacle to faith. We often prefer the comfort of known struggles over the uncertainty of change. However, when we truly desire healing and take steps of faith, God meets us where we are and provides the strength and resources we need. Trusting God for the unknown requires us to believe that He will meet us in our steps of faith and guide us through the process of healing. [25:27]

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: What is one unknown area in your life where you need to trust God more? How can you begin to trust Him today, believing that He will guide you through it?

Day 5: Embracing God's Process of Healing

God often uses a process to bring about healing, working through various means such as medical treatment, counseling, and spiritual growth. We must be open to the different ways God may choose to heal us, recognizing that His methods may not always align with our expectations. Embracing God's process of healing requires patience, faith, and a willingness to follow His lead, trusting that He is working all things for our good. [39:26]

James 1:2-4 (ESV): "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

Reflection: In what ways can you be more open to the different methods God might use to bring healing into your life? How can you embrace His process with patience and faith today?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound question Jesus asked a man who had been sick for 38 years: "Do you want to get well?" This question, though seemingly simple, challenges us to confront the long-term issues in our lives that we have grown accustomed to. We all have ongoing problems, whether they are chronic health issues, addictions, financial struggles, or relational conflicts. These persistent problems can lead to discouragement, excuses, and compensation, preventing us from experiencing true healing and transformation.

The story of the man at the pool of Bethesda illustrates three significant challenges we face with persistent problems. First, the longer a problem persists, the more discouraged we become. We may start to believe that our situation is unchangeable, leading us to question God's plan for our lives. Second, we tend to make excuses, blaming external factors for our inability to overcome our issues. Lastly, we compensate for our problems, learning to function despite them, but never truly addressing the root cause.

Jesus' question, "Do you want to get well?" is a call to action. It requires us to acknowledge our problems and take a step of faith towards healing. Healing may not come in the way we expect, but it often requires us to step out of our comfort zones and trust in God's power. We must desire healing more than we fear the unknown, and be willing to take practical steps towards change.

The familiar can be the greatest obstacle to faith, as we often prefer the comfort of known struggles over the uncertainty of change. However, when we truly desire healing and take steps of faith, God meets us where we are and provides the strength and resources we need. Whether it's through medical treatment, counseling, or spiritual growth, God works through various means to bring about healing in our lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Persistent problems can lead to discouragement, excuses, and compensation, preventing us from experiencing true healing. We must confront these issues and take steps of faith towards change. [02:12]
2. Jesus' question, "Do you want to get well?" challenges us to desire healing more than we fear the unknown. Our desire for healing must be greater than our comfort in familiar struggles. [18:22]
3. Healing may not come in the way we expect, but it often requires us to step out of our comfort zones and trust in God's power. We must be willing to take practical steps towards change. [19:18]
4. The familiar can be the greatest obstacle to faith. We must be willing to leave behind what we know and trust God for the unknown, believing that He will meet us in our steps of faith. [25:27]
5. God often uses a process to bring about healing, working through various means such as medical treatment, counseling, and spiritual growth. We must be open to the different ways God may choose to heal us. [39:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:12] - Introduction to Persistent Problems
[03:25] - The Pool of Bethesda
[04:48] - The House of Mercy
[10:10] - The Power of Excuses
[11:51] - Compensating for Problems
[13:01] - Highly Functioning Compensation
[16:31] - The Familiar as an Obstacle
[18:22] - Desire vs. Disability
[19:18] - Jesus' Unexpected Healing
[25:27] - The Story of Faith and Deliverance
[26:23] - The Helicopter Rescue
[27:27] - Taking Action in Faith
[30:55] - A Step of Faith
[32:44] - The Power of Generosity
[34:16] - Do You Want to Get Well?
[36:08] - The Woman with the Issue of Blood
[37:31] - Faith and Healing
[38:35] - The Process of Healing
[39:26] - Life's Challenges and Victory
[40:07] - Responding to God's Call
[46:42] - Closing Prayer and Invitation
[48:17] - Personal Testimony of Healing
[49:14] - The Journey of Faith
[50:06] - Walking in Faith
[50:51] - The Promise of Complete Healing
[51:50] - Declaration of Faith

Sermon Clips

1) "The longer a problem persists, the more discouraged you can become. Some of you, you've had an ongoing problem that just won't go away and you've prayed about it and you've looked for help but nothing happened and you tried what you thought might help it and it seemed to backfire in your face and nothing seems to work and you get discouraged. You tried to work on your marriage, you prayed about it, you were nice to him and maybe you even went to church together and your marriage is still bad and years later you're like I don't think anything's ever going to help my marriage." [08:00] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "The longer a problem persists, the more excuses we tend to make. You start to make excuses because ultimately it's going to make you feel better if you can shove the blame off on something or someone or somewhere else, right? That's how we think and that's what this guy does. He says Jesus I have nobody to help me get in the water when I try to get there I can't walk and everybody just runs right by me, and I'm just left there, completely helpless and hopeless. Nobody can help me." [10:10] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "The longer a problem persists, the more you tend to compensate. In fact, if I can just say it very directly, some of you right now, you are excelling at compensating. Some people, no one here, I hope, but some of us, some people have become really good at compensating for the problems in their life. Some people are highly functioning alcoholics. You ever heard that word? So, sure, it puts stress on my marriage, and sure, it's a challenge for my children, but professionally, I'm highly functioning." [13:01] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "You cannot change until you acknowledge and recognize there's a problem. You will never change when you're tolerating an issue or compensating with the symptoms. Write this down: you cannot change what you're willing to tolerate. You cannot change what you're willing to tolerate. The bottom line is this: Jesus asked the guy do you want to be well? Why would he ask him that? Well, perhaps it's because Jesus knew that you can't help someone who needs help, you can only help someone who wants help." [16:31] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "Sometimes the biggest obstacle to faith is the familiar. The familiar can be the biggest obstacle to real faith, because so many people, the familiar is where they get stuck. See, you don't understand. For 38 years, I've been unable to walk. You don't understand. I've tried other stuff, and I've got my resume of excuses, and I don't like it, but I've learned to manage it, and you just start to accept what is rather than believe what could be." [18:22] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "Until your desire becomes bigger than your disability you will never ever start to find healing. Your desire must be bigger than your disability. Do you want to be made well? Do you because honestly some of us we are compensating we're making excuses and yes we are discouraged but what we're doing is we're simply getting used to living where we are and I believe the spirit of God would ask you today do you really want to get well?" [19:18] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "Jesus says to him get up pick up your mat and walk in other words if you're taking notes Jesus essentially said I don't want to hear excuses I want to see your face don't tell me what you can't do and what you're not able to do and what other people won't do for you I just want to see you stand up I just want to see you begin to take some action activate what you can do you can do this get up off the mat begin to roll that mat up I know I know you've never done it before it's been 38 years but today if you'll just take an action I promise you God will meet you where you are and raise you up and allow you to walk forward." [27:27] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8) "Some of you may be beginning a process of a journey that leads towards healings, and you thought it would come through the water. You had no idea you were going to walk into a church this morning, and the presence of God was going to meet you here, and you were going to be touched by the power of the Holy Spirit, and it would spark something in you that only God could do, and other people are going to be looking at you and going, why are you so excited? What is happening to you? Why do you have such hope? Why do you have such freedom?" [34:16] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9) "When I ask the question about the problems, right, the stuff, no matter what your stuff is today, I serve a God who's able today to come alongside of you. That's what the Holy Spirit is. The Bible says the Holy Spirit, it's a Greek word, parakletos. It means one that comes alongside to give help in the time of trouble. That's what God is. He comes alongside of us and walks. He comes with us and talks with us and gives us hope in those moments when we need it most." [40:07] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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