“So He got into a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.” And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, “This Man blasphemes!” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” And he arose and departed to his house. Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such power to men.” Mt. 9:1-7…………….
I was helping a man with a cane get up the stairs one day when I noticed how profusely he was sweating, that he had to stop and catch his breath along the way though there must not have been 7 stairs, and that he appeared when I looked at his face to be in great pain, perhaps, or perhaps anguish. Something about his face just bore the appearance of someone in pain of one sort or another. Of course, I assumed it was physical. So my question, in my estimate anyway, seemed natural.
“Have you gotten medical help for this problem?” I essentially said as he paused before resuming his slow walk up the stairs.
“Oh, no,” he said without hesitation and utter clarity. “This isn’t a physical problem. It’s spiritual.”
He was a believer in Christ, and by his own admission there was something in his “walk” with the Lord which was manifesting in his difficulty walking physically. I mentioned repentance, and without going into detail, he responded in such a way that I sensed the Lord was dealing with him about something he needed to do in order to come into obedience to the Lord.
Do you notice in the scriptures above how there seems to be a connection between the healing of the man and his needing forgiveness? Most assuredly people do have genuinely physical and medical problems, but there, too, are times in which our spiritual struggles – including specifically our rebellion against God – show up in our lives with physical ailments.
What is the answer then? The answer is always the same no matter what our issues are and regardless of whether our issues result in physical ailments or not.
The Lord Jesus Christ. And a life lived in love for and obedience to God almighty through faith in Christ not only as Savior of our lives but as LORD OF OUR LIVES. This all begins with repentance and turning to Christ as Lord, believing Christ is the Son of God and died for our sins and was raised from the dead, and continues on in a lifestyle of love and obedience to God, requiring repentance along the way when the Spirit of God shows us we are not “walking” in the manner to which He has called us to “walk”, i.e. live.
If there is something about your “walk” with the Lord that isn’t right, now is the time to repent and turn to Him through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord forever!