Healing: The Cost of God's Best

READ MATTHEW 10:1-5

Healing, like most of life’s demands, is challenging and often unpleasant. We’d rather avoid it or have someone else handle it. It can become aggravating, frustrating, lonely, repetitive, and even drive us crazy if we let it.

However, like most difficult or uncomfortable tasks, healing is essential. After all, everything in life comes with a cost.

“For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭26‬ ‭CSB‬‬

The situations we encounter often reveal aspects of ourselves we’ve been avoiding, whether they reside in our hearts or minds. The process may be difficult, but the ultimate reward is usually a better version of ourselves. Sometimes, we might even desire the result while neglecting to start the work. The process can be discouraging, leading us to question why things can’t be over.

We may feel exhausted and sick of it, but the blessing or future we seek won’t bring about better character or healing. Instead, it will only expose the areas we refuse to address, altering the intended outcome.

“A good person produces good from the good stored up in his heart. An evil person produces evil from the evil stored up in his heart, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭45‬ ‭CSB‬‬

 You can’t walk in what you’re asking God for if your heart, character, or healing is incomplete. God loves us so much that He doesn’t want to give us anything that we might mess up or ruin. Sometimes, your downfall can come when you don’t follow a simple instruction. The instruction can be as simple as taking time for yourself to work on something or stopping a certain behavior for a while.

It’s like the moment you tell yourself you can’t do something or have to wait for something. It makes that thing you’re really looking forward to seem impossible or like you’ll never achieve it. It’s like someone’s asking you to do the hardest thing in the world.

“Then Samuel said, ‘Does the Lord take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? Look, to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.’”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭15‬:‭22‬ ‭CSB‬‬

Taking a shortcut or trying to convince yourself that it was the last time you’d lean on your own strength or that one compromise won’t hurt is exactly what leads to you paying the price for something you weren’t meant to do. I would be a hypocrite and be lying if I told you that this was easy because in the moment you’re actually in it, it’s not easy. It seems like the most impossible thing that has ever been done compared to someone who’s already been through it and overcome it.

But sometimes, your greatest test is your obedience. We already know that God meets us where we are, and we shouldn’t hide our true emotions or feelings about the situation we’re in. Now, we can come to God about anything, so even if it’s hard, even if you have to cry, yell, or scream, do it. Because some things are worth more than what you’re being offered, there is more that God has in store for you after the healing and overcoming the situation. It’s not necessarily that it’s harder here than there or that it’s lonely. You’re simply settling.

Often, these situations present themselves to test your willingness to sacrifice. For example, you might ask yourself if a job is worth losing your integrity or if a situation is worth compromising your relationship with God.

In most cases, these situations are too costly.

To conclude, you need to have the character to pursue what matters most without losing it. God has given you this opportunity for a reason, and it’s important to remember that you should never have to sacrifice your values or the things God has asked you to protect to achieve your goals.