I love when the Holy Spirit brings a new revelation to a story that I’ve read numerous times. I love it, even more, when the revelation is at a time where I need it the most. Isn’t God wonderful?

To understand this revelation, I want to start with a passage in 2 Corinthians that the apostle Paul discussed with the Corinthian people. In 2 Corinthians 12:7b-8, we read: “Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.” We never discover what Paul’s “thorn” was, but it was something that affected him so much that he pleaded with the Lord to take it away.

How many of us can relate to Paul? How many times have you pleaded with God to take something away or to help you with something that you have struggled with for many years?

Since I was a young girl, I have struggled with my weight. Around the age of 13, I overheard a friend’s boyfriend talking about how fat and ugly I was. Those words cut me deeply and began a love-hate relationship with myself. I started a diet immediately, and I can reasonably say I have been on a diet for over 30 years. This has been a constant battle for me, a thorn that I have asked God many times to remove and have lacked understanding of why this complete lack of self-esteem still has so much control over me. For many years, I wouldn’t even look in a mirror because I was so ashamed of what I looked like and how ugly I was. All because of words that were spoken so flippantly by another person.

Recently I decided that enough is enough. This rang especially true as I was “running” after my three-year-old son only to discover that I can’t run. Seriously. If a wild animal were chasing me as its dinner, the animal would easily take me down. I joined the YMCA, and I decided it’s time to get the weight off.

As I was reading a passage in the Bible, I realized that I have more in common with someone I would scoff at than I thought. How many times have you read the story of the lame man at the pool of Bethesda? Take a quick moment to read John 5:1-15.  The man at the pool had been an invalid for 38 years. He waited by the pool to be healed every day and could never reach the pool to receive his healing. Defeated he would wait for the next day. Then Jesus came. He wanted to heal the man.

Then Jesus said the words that would change this man’s life: “Do you want to get well?” The man gave Jesus excuse after excuse as to why he couldn’t get well not realizing the answer stood right in front of Him.

Before I began my latest health journey, I could feel the Holy Spirit prompting me to get my health in check. I would dream about getting healthy and constantly felt the urge to workout and take better care of my body. I knew this was important to God. Do you know what I did? I did exactly what the invalid man did. I gave excuse after excuse as to why I couldn’t get well.

• I’m too tired to exercise.
• I have a young son that needs me. I don’t have time.
• I’ve walked this journey for years with no results.
• I can’t afford to eat healthy foods.
• I’ll just fail again.

The list can go on and on of the excuses I gave. Do you know what I heard back?

Do you want to get well?

It dawned on me that I was the man at the pool of Bethesda. An opportunity to walk a health journey with Jesus had been thrown in my lap and all I could do was give excuses as to why it couldn’t happen. That’s not a good feeling. I realized that all these years I had been trying to walk through the pain of a memory without involving Jesus or hearing His words that were always spoken to my heart. Do you want to get well?

Dear friend, what in your life is causing you great pain and discomfort? What is the Holy Spirit convicting your heart about? Why are you ignoring Jesus when He asks you “do you want to get well”? Whatever you are facing, Jesus wants to walk with you and help you through.

Will you also give excuses when Jesus asks you the question that will change your life?

Do you want to get well?

Hand it over to Jesus. When Paul asked for his thorn to be taken away, the Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9a). Let Jesus be the power in your weakness. Let Him guide your step and walk with you through whatever is causing you so much pain and discomfort.

Let the power of Jesus shine through your weakness and build your faith as you walk with Him. Through Jesus, there is an expectation that a life change is possible. We can’t accept Jesus in our lives and remain the same person. A visit with Jesus will cause a confrontation of who you have settled to be with who you really are. You are a beloved child of God. And God loves you too much to let you remain in the same misery year after year. He wants to see you grow into the likeness of Jesus. But we must take the step to make the change and cling on to a Savior that wants to take the journey with us.

When Jesus asks the question “do you want to get well”, will you take His hand and walk with him? Or will you choose to remain in the same position you have been in for years?

The choice is yours.