Temporary Times

When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent) So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. John 9:6, 7 (New American Standard Bible)

I have been thinking today of not only this miracle account in Scripture but many that played out in similar fashion. Every physical situation imaginable… blindness, deafness, leprosy, cripples, paralysis, demon possession, epilepsy….were no match for Jesus’ pronouncement of healing. What I find fascinating is that in each case the problem was permanently gone! This man who was blind from birth and received his sight, did not spend the rest of his life battling any trace of blindness. His sight was his from that point on. In each case where a miracle had happened the healing was permanent…excluding the raising of the dead who later died again. Their healing was complete and permanent.

I long for Jesus to apply a type of clay to my soul and heal me of my internal issues as profoundly and permanently as the physical healings I read of in Scripture. To no longer be confronted with returning bouts of sadness, emotional dependency, loneliness, and heartaches. When I have a good day I mistakenly think it is permanent. I have felt healed and even proclaimed it, only to eventually see the “healing” fade and the issues resurface. I have come to realize one thing. What I often deem as a healing is more of a temporary reprieve. It is a restful time but not a permanent place. At those times, it feels good to laugh and smile. How disheartening when the laughter dies down and the smile subsides. How anti climatic to realize I am living in a fallen world, with a fallen nature, and weaknesses too numerous to count. I despise the patterns and cycles!

Today has been a day of understanding the ebb and flow of my emotions. I am accepting the fact that permanent relief will most likely not be mine until I leave this world and become a permanent resident of Heaven. Strangely enough, this is comforting for me to realize. It takes away the pressure to be perfect and puts a stop to the condemning thoughts that I am doing something wrong. I want to begin noticing the many emotional reprieves God blesses me with throughout each day rather than cringing at the failures. While I cannot claim a healing for now, I can rejoice in progress made and with that I smile.

Father, just when I think the abundant life is out of reach for me, You come and comfort me. In the midst of every emotional battle, move me forward. Amen.

I Have A Shelter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhmS6VvPm84&feature=PlayList&p=F0BA1ACD8C2BFC55&index=54

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.