Knowing What To Know

To be frank…. It’s been a powerful, yet some of the hardest, few of months to walk out.
A good many steps of faith have been taken in a little over 8 months, honestly even just in the past week, especially in the face of reluctance, trepidation, and even some occasional brusque apathy.

I’ve learned a lot about the joy that follows when we take the “20 seconds of insane courage” that Matt Damon flips out over when he bought that zoo (I’ll give you 3 guesses what that movies called).
The joy that follows isn’t revolved around our circumstance before and after… but the conditions of His promises then and always. Otherwise, you’re just waiting on the quick cue of wavering happiness.

A story that’s been applicable to the multitudes when it comes to vitality and the call to stand is in John 5.
Following Galilee, Jesus came to Jerusalem where the masses with various conditions and ailments were waiting to plunge themselves in the stirring water called the pool of Bethesda (House of Mercy????) for the miraculous to ensue. Instead of conducting a healing crusade for many who weren’t looking toward Him, Jesus’ ministry focused on a man with an infirmity (weakness) for 38 years.
Jesus asked Him “Do you want to be made well?” (v. 6)
What catches me off guard every time I read it is his lack of a definitive ‘YES’ or ‘Bruh. Chill with the rhetorical.’

I think of some occasions where the Lord asked me this, ‘Do you want to overcome?’ ‘Do you want to do/be better?’ ‘Do you want to never be the same?’
Honesty, I don’t always respond with a firm ‘yes’ because of 2 camps of thought…doubt in my faith and worth….or just no proprietorship of fault.

In the face of doubt and cowardice, many of us respond to the call for healing with despondency after too many occasions, that we’re anaesthetized with dispassion to believe, or even want, any bigger.
In the face of excusing personal responsibility, if not careful, that’s pride saying I’m the exception to His power, and just CALLING it humility in my affliction.

For the chances we don’t take, for the call to rise we spurn for the sake of the fall,
we can be later haunted with the ghosts of ‘What If…’ or stabbed by ‘Suppose…’

Christ doesn’t tell the man He’s healed, but instead He says ‘Rise and take up your bed.’ He instead is asking are you WILLING to be healed, are you WILLING to get up, are you WILLING walk for the sake of what’s better ahead. The better ahead isn’t the promise of a perfect life on earth, but the assurance of an ABUNDANT one knowing what He can do for you when you’re WILLING to seek the super in our natural!

If not careful, when certain things haven’t always gone accordingly to my expectations throughout this race, (missions, dynamics, I’ve occasionally and uncharacteristically let my heart lead on behalf of my character instead of my head. Someone walking without the authority of mind is just walking without government.
I’ve sometimes let feelings govern the outcome of my behavior, which will just breed lunacy, which you must now by now is simply doing the same thing repeatedly expecting a different outcome. In the nature of our redundant strides, it’s honestly appropriate to venture…. We’re sometimes just loyal to ineffectiveness.

If not careful,… we let the ingenuity from our souls overlap the knowledge in our spirits of who God is. Thus, the friction of what the heart FEELS and what the head KNOWS.

David tells the Lord in Psalm, “You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5 NIV).
I’ve had to learn how the glory doesn’t fall on a wild heart…. But a clear head/mind. My cup can’t run over if my head isn’t covered with oil.

Wrapping up, when Jesus told the lame man to “Rise, take up your bed and walk” (v.8),
He’s not extending the sentiment, ‘Hope you FEEL better,’ …but instead, ‘KNOW you are healed by standing and walking in what I say and you believe to be true.’
He says through me, you no longer walk in what you make of your affliction, but what I make of them!
You no longer walk as a victim of your weakness, but a victor in my strength!
You no longer wait on your ‘when’ when you know mine.
You no longer wait for signs and wonders after you’ve tasted and seen the GOOD I am!
You know…I AM the joy on the other side??