July 10, 2019

What Do You Want?

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” – John 5:6

The answer seems obvious to us. Of course, someone who is sick wants to get well. Really? Maybe we assume what isn’t really there.

There are different types of sickness. Some people are fighting for their lives. Our hearts break for them as we fervently pray. But we all likely know people who seem to enjoy being sick, whether it’s a physical illness, drama at its highest or unhappiness that never ends.

One woman complains because a co-worker appears to be assigned more hours than she is assigned. A few hours later she’s complaining about working too many weekends. She never seems to be happy, whether it’s hours or management or customers. She’s a fault-finder. It’s something she chooses.

Or there’s the man who refuses to do the exercises the doctor ordered. He’s rather sit in his recliner, watch television, and be waited on. He can’t see what’s around the corner. He doesn’t care. He’s enjoying the attention of today too much to understand that his future looks grim. Pretty soon he’ll be an invalid who can’t fight his way back to good health.

Each day we make choices that determine the course of our lives. Are you unhappy? Then stop making excuses and take a different path. Do you want to get well? That’s a question only you can answer. If you answer yes, then prove it by making the changes necessary to turn your life down a different path.