Healing is from God... Not sickness

  Jehovah Rapha: The Lord that Heals (Exodus 15:26). I would suggest that since we don't understand why we get sick, we seem to feel the need to explain it. I believe with every fiber of my being that, without question, unequivocally - God NEVER puts sickness on us and never would. However, I do believe that He can use the sickness to provide us with new learnings and understandings... if we are open to the lessons He provides.

  I think the Christian world is totally confused when it comes to healing and sickness. Since we all do get sick then our method of justifying, especially critical illnesses, is to say that God gave it to us in order to teach us something. Hogwash! That is an absurd, ridiculous assumption. If the Lord is going to teach us something, I do think He has other ways of accomplishing this. Think about it! Just how open are you to learning when you are moaning? When you are in pain are you at your peak state of effectively understanding whatever is being taught?

  You really are wiser than to assume God would use an ineffective method to teach... A different question: IF you believe that God put the sickness on you then why would you turn to Him for healing? Wouldn't that be asking Him to go contrary to His will for you? Minimally it would be counter-intuitive and definitely counter-productive. If He is putting the sickness on you to 'teach you' something... what have you learned? And why would you want to be healed?

  Actually when we are hurting we don't tend to focus much on lessons, we focus on getting healed. Isn't healing the point? If so, the methodology to being healed isn't our issue - we just want to feel better. Yes? So when you are not feeling well do you go to the healer? He is our healer but what we need to remember is that He doesn't always use the same method, His timing may not be our timing, and we have to have faith that He will act on what He said at the best time for us. Rarely can we expect to be 'zapped' into health. But if we take the time to listen, He will provide the answer for our healing and continued health. And I believe that health is always the point, not just healing.  

   We are barely scratching the surface about health, healing, and our God who heals. The question is: who is Jehovah Rapha in your life? Is He your healer? However, I believe healing is more than physical, His declaration is that He is Jehovah who heals us both in body and soul. So why do some people never seem to be healed? I have no answer. It's easy to speculate as to the reason and there can be sundry reasons. But I do believe that some people don't think that they are worthy enough to receive healing. It is impossible to earn His healing. Healing is one of His names.


 

Provision

   Jehovah Jireh: God will Provide. One of the first declaration God states is that He is Jehovah Jireh. What and Who is Jehovah Jireh?

   According to His Word, Jehovah Jireh is translated and described as: The Lord Will Provide. This is not a maybe statement. He WILL. We see Him giving examples of this from the beginning. In Genesis He provided a garden with everything in it that man could ever want or need. When man sinned and lost access then the provision was when God gave Adam and Eve tunics to cover themselves (Genesis 3:21). While there are countless examples in Genesis, the most dramatic was when He provided a sacrifice for Abraham when he was about to offer Isaac, his only son (Genesis 22:12-18). Abraham built an altar at that place and called it "The Lord will provide".
(Note: if you look at earlier verses you will see that Abraham was confident that both he and his son would return by the comments he made, and that the Lord would provide and fulfill His promise to Abraham.)

   There are innumerable instances throughout scripture demonstrating God's provision for man. Unfortunately, too often we see provision only in material or financial terms and His provision is far more extensive and encompassing than this, though it does include them. And we expect Him to provide when we think we need or want and in the manner we expect. God is not restricted by our thinking and His purpose is to provide the very best when and where we are in need (Isaiah 41:10, 55:8-9, 11, Romans 8:28). Our task is to ask... to seek... but not to limit. He can provide meaning and purpose to our lives as easily as He can the material and financial. (Jeremiah 29:11)

   Too often when we read scripture concerning what God did we made the leap of erroneous assumption that it was only for then and not for now. Not certain how we got to this since there is no place in scripture that indicates He is a then God. The real question is - will you allow Him to provide in your life? And if not... why? He tells us: "Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? " (Isaiah 50:2b) Actually He tells to come, and to come boldly (Hebrews 4:16).

   Perhaps the question is not a doubt that God will provide... but that He will provide for you. That somehow you aren't 'worthy' enough to receive His provision. However you got to this conviction, it is totally inaccurate because God provides not based on our 'merit' but because of His care. He shows NO partiality and we simply can't earn it. Acts 10:34-35 tells us that Peter discovered God's impartiality "...whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him." Fortunately we are made the righteous in Jesus (2Corinthians 5:21). Sometimes the provision is there and we simply don't see it. Pray for eyes that see.

Many Names

   Who has God shown himself to be in your life? Perhaps I should say... Who have you allowed God to show himself to be in your life? 'Who' is incredibly important because it sets the foundation of your relationship with God. Have you allowed Him to be Who He says He is? Do you relegate Him to only part of your life or does He infuse all of you?  Is He 'out there' or in you? God is. But Who is He? Have you taken the time to discover who He says He is? 

   God tells us in His Word Who He is - the questions are: 1- do you believe He is Who He says He is? 2- do you 'allow' Him be Who He says?  Both are critical to answer for yourself. The first question begins your understanding but it has to be followed with your acting on this (#2). He never lightly tells us who He is but reinforces it over and over so this evidence will convince us. And he doesn't use only one medium of information - He shows us in His Word, He shows us in others' lives, He shows us in our lives... all we have to do is see. Are we willing to?

   God has given Himself many names. I believe the reason is so that we can know Him in the fullness of Who He says He is. He has defined, described and demonstrated Himself as: El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty, All-Sufficient One), Jehovah Jireh (Our Provider), Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd), El Elyon (The Most High God),  Adonai (Lord, Master), Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah), plus many other descriptive names. The point, in my thinking, is to give us more understanding of the breadth, height, depth of Who He is. Without our willingness to see, we can miss His involvement.

   At the close of your day, do you ever take the time to review and see His hand in and on your life? Do you see any of the manifestations of His name? What does this teach you about Who He is? What does this tell you about the depth of the relationship He wants with you? I find myself awestruck when I see Who He is. And... I delight in discovering how and when He manifested Himself in my day. God has many names... it really is unfortunate when we don't allow Him to express Himself in our lives. 

Thief

  This word invokes a feeling of danger, of 'someone or something' intent on stealing from us! Our material or financial resources. For some people this is also associated with a feeling of helplessness, of being a victim - that the 'thief' has more power over us than we do. I believe, and would argue, that there is far more to this word than only the loss of those material/financial items. The more critical loss is peace of mind, the sense of safety. This robbery is far more extensive than we may initially realize.

  As devastating as those losses may seem, there are other thieves that take far more from us - worry and unforgiveness are only two examples. The tragic part is that the person perpetrating these acts typically is... us - we are the thieves, robbing from ourselves. Look at worry. Worry is never something that others do to us, we do it to ourselves. And as illogical as worry is, we all do it. Logic tells us that if we are able to do something – we will. The lack of logic reinforces the fact that worry, by definition, means that we can't do anything about or with or concerning/etc. the particular issue - it is out of our hands. Perhaps it is because we can't influence the situation that we worry. But this never accomplishes anything.

  The opposite is true with unforgiveness - this is totally our decision. We decide to forgive or not. And forgiveness includes our self - many times the most difficult person to grant mercy to is us. In every act of forgiveness, the critical considerations are not to seek revenge and to not hold a grudge. Both acts are easier said than done. But both are thieves of our peace of mind and both are within our hands to act on or move on.

  What benefit can you derive from robbery (when you are the thief)? Right – none! And there is no benefit derived from being a victim – at the mercy of someone or something else. Theft may occur but we don’t need to abet it. This will always require that we change our paradigm, change our mindset, change how we react when these situations arise. We can always triumph. Actually it depends on your definition of 'triumph'.

Self-compassion

  I never heard that word until I was wandering through the internet. In this case, wandering meant with no discernible purpose... just seeing what might be 'there'. And there the word was. It was indicating a mindset that allows you to 'make mistakes' and not continue to hit yourself over the head with 'errors'. (Yes... there were a lot of ' ' in this introduction.) The point of the article was that those with a high degree of self-compassion move on and vow not make the same mistake again. The other point is that if you lack self-compassion you need to work on forgiving yourself because you typically continue the behavior that caused the 'mistake'.

  What I saw in the definition were two important concepts: 'move on' and vow. I have discussed move on innumerable times and in innumerable ways because I tend to believe that a lack of accepting and moving on is one of our greatest inhibitors in personal growth. There are, obviously, multiple concepts that impinge on our moving on ability. One of the greatest is a lack of forgiveness when we do make mistakes.  However, we waste so much energy and time when we aren't willing to forgive. And no, I don't mean that we shouldn't acknowledge our error or make light of it. But it happened! We can't undo it... so what is the best response to this?

  The second important concept in this mindset is the response - vow. Webster defines vow as: "a solemn promise, pledge, or personal commitment ... resolve solemnly to do, make, give, observe" (one could also add 'not do' the negative) An even stronger statement is that a vow is a covenant and dedication. Reality says that we also acknowledge that we may err again but the point is the seriousness of our response. You have to be willing to attempt to not repeat the behavior. And when or if the behavior is repeated that you begin again. This last point may be the most important because we often do repeat and then see ourselves as helpless rather than using it as a recommitment.

  Self-compassion is really a critical component in our mindset, our frame of reference. Without it we could too easily simply give up and giving up on ourselves is a form of suicide. Not physical suicide but Webster indicates that this word means: "destruction of one's own interests or prospects". If that sounds overly dramatic... it really isn't. One can continue to breathe in and out and be walking compassionless, which is a form of lifelessness (my definition). An additional problem is that when we can't/won/t walk in self-compassion we typically won't extend compassion to others.

Mind Challenges

  I could have said, 'games', but I didn't want to give the wrong impression. In another lifetime when I was an undergraduate, the people in my dorm liked to spend time late at night, after preparing for whatever classes were to happen the next day, by discussing those 'deep' question of life. Actually we would play what we called mind challenges to unwind. An example is: to consider the question, "Are there any absolutes?" We'd have great fun doing this. (The answer, by the way, if you said 'no' was an absolute, thus there was no way round this one.) Perhaps somewhat 'sophomoric' but it was a good exercise in what we actually believed.
 
  One 'teaser' I remember was something that has stayed with me throughout the years. The question posed was: If you knew you had only 24 hours to live, how would you spend your time? What people would you want to say 'good by' to? Regardless of age, this is an interesting speculation. The context for the response is that you'd be living the life you were living at the time with whoever and whatever was populating your life. So... what about you? What would you want to do, to say, to be, to accomplish, to be with right now if you only had 24 hours?
 
  This really isn't just idle speculation. As Christians we should always be ready to depart for our true home. For me this means that I really don't like to leave unfinished 'things' on my plate. Obviously this will undoubtedly happen, but how much can I live in the moment and still prepare for the future without leaving the unfinished? Living intentional seems to be the foundation to this. Living, being intentional is always a choice. What do I mean? 
 
  Webster defines intentional as: "deliberate, on purpose, intended, considered, planned..." Intentional is not a mindlessness or serendipitous. You determine in advance what, when, with whom, how. It doesn't mean that you ignore the serendipitous or spontaneous (fill in the blank), it really means that you are aware and living in the aware. With this mindset you don't miss the eternal, the essential and for me that is what I want. Whether or not you choose to proceed in your operational definition of intentional, I present it as an option to consider. It really is far more than merely a 'mind challenge'.

Hurt

  How do you 'handle' it, when you are the one hurt? Granted that the type and who of the hurt-er does make a difference. But the point is - what do you do with those feelings? Denying and/or ignoring what you feel never works. And it doesn't make any difference if your feelings are 'accurate' or realistic (whatever that may mean). What you feel is what you feel! This gives us our first clue as to what we need to do first when we feel this way.

  First thing is to acknowledge how you feel! No rationalizing or attempting to 'explain' it or adding guilt to your situation because you feel the way you do - own it, it really doesn't need to make sense! If you don't acknowledge your feelings and instead attempt to push those feelings down, they will inevitably have their expression. Unfortunately, the pushed down expression typically expresses itself at an inappropriate time and directed at anyone handy... rarely the person causing your feelings.

  But don't stay there. That's the important point. If you need to wallow for a bit, do it (preferably by yourself) but then move on. And part of the 'move on' definition is to not seek revenge. Don't punish the person causing your hurt. It is very tempting but you'll only exasperate the situation and typically experience the negative impact from your (self-protective?) behavior. What you need to be acutely aware of is that the situation isn't only between you and the person causing your feelings. We all live in a kind of glass bowl and others are always watching us and how we respond and react. How you handle your hurt will be a model for others, whether or not you realize and/or care.

  To be hurt seems to be the 'fate' of everyone at some time. How we handle the hurt marks who we are, and that is no small matter.  Our attitude and subsequent actions speak volumes. Lashing back never is an effective response and certainly doesn't speak of a person who is able to rise above... at least publicly. In the last analysis, I think that the point is that we can be hurt but we don't have to live there. We really can overcome and not be overcome and incapacitated.

Self-Improvement

  What I've learned about self improvement, at least for me and my life, really are quite important. Though there undoubtedly are a multitude of competing voices and impacts (and suggestions) on our attempts at self-improvement, the beginning is critical. Actually, the beginning is everything. We can think about and talk about improving, but the only way there will be success is... to start. Simple? No. Because in our decision to be a better person, this will require us to change some of the things we do and say. Or at least how we do and say. So - begin? If yes, then do your preparation first. I'm only going to consider two issues that will determine everything (in my estimation) about how we can improve our chances of improving.

  1- The overriding impetus has to be personal. YOU have to want to improve but you also have to be willing to do those things that will mark the improvement leading to success. It always has to be more than just words... without your active involvement, any behavior change is transitory at best. And before you say, 'of course I want to improve', ask yourself - do you? Are you willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish (fill in the blank)? You never can improve from a 'safe' distance. Also you have to be honest with yourself... what are those issues, behaviors, that you really are willing to improve? And what does improvement look like? If you don't know what it is you want to change, refine, correct then how do you know what you need to do to improve?

  Another incredibly important component is that you should never take on too much all at once. Never try for self-improvement on multiple areas simultaneously - that only ensures defeat. Tackle those things one at a time. This may seem like an unimportant consideration - it isn't. My belief is that frustration will be the order of the day if you are trying to make too many 'changes' on a variety of issues all at the same time. At some point most people will either give up or decide that they really aren't all that bad or that they've completed enough 'correction' for the time being. All of that is leading to a return to who and what you were before starting. It is success in one area that proves to be supportive of  taking on another area to improve.

  We all need self-improvement. None of us has achieved a 'perfect' status/level. As long as we have breath we have the opportunity to become all that's been prepared for us to be and do. Fortunately too, we aren't in this alone. We have those who support us in our attempts to become a better person. It is folly to try and not include them in our plans. Also, the Lord is with us as we grow. I've always loved the phrase that the Lord isn't finished with me yet. That realized hope is my impetus to continue my journey to improve. 

Paradigm

  This is another word that's on my favorite word list. It's because of what the word represents, what the definition is. It's very personal. Paradigm: "standard, pattern or model," but it also says that it is a prototype which means that it is, "...(to be) tested so that the design can be changed if necessary, ...something that serves as an example..." From these dictionary definitions we can assume that this word is not in cement. Our frame of reference, mindset should always be open to correction and refinement... but only upon consideration and testing.

  I believe that the person with an open mind is unafraid of challenges to what they believe. They 'take on all comers' because though they practice what they preach (believe), they are always open and aware of possible change. Actually I believe that those who won't 'risk' looking at challenges to their beliefs have little confidence in what they believe. While challenge doesn't always mean change, it does mean that the paradigm, model is one that isn't built on shifting sand but on a foundation that can weather challenges. It also means that the change is based on truth and not just feelings.

  OK, I've used enough hackneyed phrases but that doesn't mean that what's been said, the phrases used, aren't truth. We need to be able to look at our models, our frame of reference to know if the model doesn't need updating. One's paradigm doesn't necessarily have to be replaced in to-to, it may only need tweaking. Challenges typically allow us to consider what we believe and why and how we act on our beliefs. If we never act on our beliefs, this may be a perfect example of no confidence.

  Our mindset, frame of reference, paradigm, model.... whatever you wish to call it is a developing concept. While it has a firm, known foundation it is always in the state of refinement. This should give us confidence that we don't need to fight or flight when we meet the challenges of life. We can overcome where needed, refine when needed, and continue to grow and develop.

Abundant

is in the definition. A 'duh' comment possibly, but it's one of those that we don't think about and too often apply our definition, presupposing we have one, to others by a kind of osmosis. Wrong. And it can be fatal. Simply because an item/activity/event/state of mind is in our queue in the definition of 'abundant' doesn't mean that it is in someone elses.... no matter how 'excellent' or 'good' we feel its inclusion may be.

  Have you ever thought seriously about living abundantly? Do you know what that means for you? Abundant needs to be recognized by us when we experience it (which is why a definition is critical). Abundant needs to be savored, and one of the wonderful attributes of the word is that it doesn't need to be fleeting or momentary. It really depends on what you consider to be in your abundant composition. And once you see, know, experience 'abundant', that you appreciate and walk in it.

  If you need to get some hints about how you might define the word, Webster says (the item or attribute that is)"... present in great quantity; more than adequate; over sufficient - copious, profuse, overflowing - bountiful, plentiful..." I suspect that you get the point. 'Abundant' is not ordinary or unimportant - it is ... extraordinary. But it is also available, if you desire it. Does this describe how you are living? To me, it speaks not of the material world but more important... the intellectual and spiritual mindset.

  Abundant is not something that is 'plopped' into your lap and yet it isn't something that you strive for. And that... is totally counter intuitive. However, it begins with your definition and what you do when you are living the abundant life. This is promised to us in scripture. Our problem is that too often we focus on the material and financial definition rather than the mindset, the spiritual. Neither material nor financial 'well being' has anything to do with abundant. If our definition only includes those two components, then I suspect we shall never attain abundant. Look anew at your definition and know what it means for you and how you can sustain this state.