GOoD Life Pre-Cepts: KeviJ
A year ago, I asked my sister, who had battled seizures after her liver transplant, whether she saw herself living a ‘normal’ life—working, being married, and enjoying everyday joys. It hit me, life can become a repetitive loop of waiting and surviving, rather than living. The question came shortly after, I met a woman at CVS who challenged my perspective; she had epilepsy and wore tags indicating her condition. She didn’t wait for permission to live; she just did. Her resilience made me see that sometimes, healing is deciding that broken pieces don’t stop your purpose. She embodies the power of acceptance and purpose, reminding us that living fully is a conscious decision. We are all capable of transforming adversity into a source of strength and purpose.
“Do you want to get well?”
~John 5:6
Jesus doesn’t just fix symptoms, He confronts the dysfunction we’ve grown comfortable with.
When long-term dysfunction becomes identity, it becomes a mask we forget we’re wearing.
Confronting our comfort zones is essential for growth. Imagine the Pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem, crowded with sick people all hoping for healing when the water stirs. Only one person can be healed at a time, and that moment depends on divine intervention. The man Jesus chooses to help has been struggling for 38 years, facing disappointment and delay. We’ve all been there, staring at the same ceiling, same bills, same struggles, wondering if anything will ever change.. Jesus’ approach was internal—challenging his faith and resolve, not just external circumstances. What if your healing is waiting, not on conditions, but on your decision to be well?
Jesus doesn’t just heal; He also strategically confronts our will. Many times, when we see people healed in Jesus’ lifetime, it began with a decision. We can become shaped by our rhythms, and the paralysis of our will is our greatest challenge. Sometimes we’re not physically paralyzed, we’re just stuck in our yes. Later, we learn that Jesus must return and confront this man about a sin in his life. I grappled with why Jesus would have to confront this man about his sin, unless the man had chosen to return to it. What makes me say this? The imminent threat Jesus lays on him, “If you keep it up, something worse will happen next time.” Jesus wasn’t warning this man; however, He was urging him to “Break the cycle.” In the Kingdom, healing is not just relief from pain, it’s also freedom into responsibility and wholeness.
I want to pose a challenging question for you today: “What’s your metaphorical pool?” In other words, are there any areas in your life where you’ve grown accustomed to things as they are, and you’re unwilling to believe that things can be different? Perhaps it’s a dysfunctional relationship, you know he/she is disrespectful to you, and doesn’t honor you, yet you stay because it’s become your norm. You know that job hasn’t fulfilled you in many years, yet you stay because it’s familiar. You’ve outsourced change to circumstance. You’ve handed your future to conditions instead of Your Creator. Comfort often disguises itself as peace — but it’s really a cage. Remember that it is for freedom that Christ set us free; we must stand firm in our freedom and choose not to be burdened again by what used to hold us down. It’s time to move beyond access into movement; better things are ahead.
This passage demands brutal honesty: Have you stopped hoping for change? In these places, Jesus doesn’t just want us to be healed, but whole and walking. Are there points in time where we should accept situations as the ‘norm’ that appear to be hopeless? Jesus confronts inner places that have grown comfortable with dysfunction, not to shame us, but to shake us out of our complacency and surrender. When we hear His voice and respond with a resounding, “Yes, Lord, I refuse to stay stuck another day!” Or will we answer with excuses about why we’ve settled for things as they are?
Time of Reflection:
** Healing often begins with a question we avoid—until we can’t.
** Comfort zones are often cages that hold us back.
Heart Probing Question:
** Have I grown more committed to my excuses than to my healing?
References:
Scripture References:
John 5:1-17
2 Cor 13:5
Rom 6:11-13
Gal 5:1
Chronological Bible Placement comes from the Thomas Nelson Chronological Study Bible
Cross References were from the TSK
Closing Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, I confess, sometimes after much delay and disappointment, I’ve grown cold about pursuits I’ve had to change my situation, and because of this, in some areas of my life, I’ve grown stuck. Thank You for not just seeing me where I am, but calling me to rise to where you are. Help me stop waiting for what may never stir, and instead respond willingly to your voice affirmatively. Make me whole. In Jesus’ name. Amen
