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 NIV

I don’t mean to be disrespectful to my Savior, but don’t you want to ask Jesus what He was thinking here? I mean, come on, this man had been paralyzed for thirty-eight years. He was subject to begging for food. He had no real quality of life. He couldn’t raise a family. He had no substance to life. To be handicapped in that day was like a death sentence. He had a miserable life. Jesus has the seeming audacity to ask him if he wants to get well. Doesn’t that sound a little cruel to you?

I think the One who made the heart actually understands the heart. The fact is that some people really don’t want to get well. I know that sounds silly, but think about it. Chances are you have some things in your life that you know you should change, but you really don’t want to change. Don’t you? Aren’t there some sinful habits that you may pretend you don’t like, but the truth is that you really kind of like the sin, and you aren’t quite ready to give them up?

I know people who are angry at someone who hurt them. They say they would like to get over the anger, but the reality is they really don’t want to give it up. They don’t know what that would feel like. They been angry so long they’ve grown comfortable with the anger.

To illustrate this I have to be very candid. If my wife and I get into a fight (which is very rare thankfully) I’m the one that likes to give the silent treatment. If I didn’t know and try to practice Biblical truth in my home I couldn’t keep the silence going for days. I could really punish my wife if I wanted to, and to be honest, if I could do things my way I probably would. I don’t necessarily want to do the right thing. (Sorry if that disappoints you to know I’m not perfect.) I break the silence, not because I want to, but because as spiritual leader I’m supposed to. It’s what God expects of me, not what I want to do necessarily.

I have a question for you. Yesterday I ask you to think of that thing that is paralyzing you. It is holding you back in life. It may be a sin, a broken relationship, a failure from the past, but it is keeping you from being all God wants you to be. I am asking you what Jesus would ask, “Do you want to get well?” Do you really?

I think that’s a fair question. So did Jesus!

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