Desiring More

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
Every two weeks or so in my classroom, I take a day to check progress. I don’t teach much, if any, on these days. Instead I take the time to assess each student individually with a quick, timed reading passage or word list or alphabet list -- whatever matches what the group is working on.

The students have charts where they track their results each time, and I have a bulletin board where they get to put stickers when they improve.

Most of my students are not reading on grade level, and although I never point that out or discuss that with them, they seem to know. They want to get better, though.

They don’t always want to do the work. But they do want to get better. And sometimes I have to remind them of how our daily work is designed to help them get better. Sometimes a reminder of the goals we have is enough to help them push through when the work is hard and/or monotonous.

I’m like that, too, in my spiritual life. I want to be better. I want to be closer to the Lord. I want to have more faith. I want to share my faith with others more. I want more fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). But I don’t always want to do the work.

Now, please don’t hear me saying we have to earn our salvation -- we are saved by grace through faith, but there is effort required on our part to grow in our spiritual journey. We have to work with the Holy Spirit as He continues to work in us.

I read a passage of scripture this morning from John 5. It tells the story of Jesus healing a man who was lying beside the pool of Bethesda. People who needed healing would sit near this pool watching for the waters to be stirred up by an angel of the Lord. When the waters stirred, the first one to enter the water would be healed.

Jesus met a man there who had been paralyzed for 38 years. And after learning this, the first thing Jesus does is ask him if he wants to get well.

Now why would Jesus ask that? It seems like it would be pretty obvious that he wanted to get well. That’s why he sat near the pool, right? I wonder if Jesus was challenging the man’s thinking as He sometimes challenges mine. For instance, I have not been exercising for quite some time, and I have gained some weight. If someone were to ask me if I wanted to lose those extra pounds, I would absolutely say, “Yes, of course!” But if someone asked me if I was willing to do what was required in order to lose that weight, I know I couldn’t answer that the same way.

I could easily say I want to improve my skills on guitar or violin or piano. Sure, I want to play better! But am I willing to put in the practice time that becoming better will require? Um, maybe? Sometimes? Ok, no, not really!

Later, Jesus speaks with this man again at the temple, and Jesus tells him to stop sinning or something worse may happen to him (verse 14). See, there was something in this man’s life that was holding him back -- we aren’t told exactly what that was. But Jesus was asking him to give it up.

In order to grow, I have to give things up -- attitudes, thoughts, activities -- that keep me from making progress. Things that take my time and attention off of Jesus. And I have to replace those things with more positive, productive alternatives.

And that requires some effort and dedication. It requires some commitment. Maybe even some sacrifice. But is it worth it? I guess that depends on if I really want to get well.

Father God, I know that You are working on me, and I know that sometimes I need a push in order to do the things that I need to do in order to grow. Help me to do the things that are necessary to cooperate with your Holy Spirit so that I can be more like You. Create in me the urgent desire to change that is required. Thank You for always being present and for Your desire to see me become stronger in my faith and more mature in my spiritual life.