Our Spiritual Healing

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2018 1:24 pm Post subject: Our Spiritual Healing

Our Spiritual Healing

Scripture:

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: The man in whose skin or flesh shall arise a different color or a blister, or as it were something shining, that is, the stroke of the leprosy, shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or any one of his sons.

Now whosoever shall be defiled with the leprosy, and is separated by the judgment of the priest, shall have his clothes hanging loose, his head bare, his mouth covered with a cloth, and he shall cry out that he is defiled and unclean. All the time that he is a leper and unclean, he shall dwell alone without the camp.
(Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46)

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God. Be without offense to the Jews, and to the Gentiles, and to the church of God: As I also in all things please all men, not seeking that which is profitable to myself, but to many, that may be saved. Be followers of me, as I also am of Christ.
(1 Corinthians 10:31 ? 11:1)

And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down said to him: If you will, you can make me clean. And Jesus having compassion on him, stretched forth his hand; and touching him, said to him: I will. Be you made clean. And when he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. And he strictly charged him, and forthwith sent him away. And he said to him: See you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the high priest, and offer for your cleansing the things that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them. But he being gone out, began to publish and to blaze abroad the word: so that he could not openly go into the city, but was without in desert places: and they flocked to him from all sides.
(Mark 1:40-45)

Reflection:

When we experience pain and affliction of the body, do we not seek healing? It is natural for us to seek physical health, but a more important question we should have is what is our concern for our spiritual health? Our physical health is temporary in the scheme of time, but our spiritual health determines our eternity.

Of course, there are diseases that even the finest doctors cannot master, so we may be tempted to believe our only hope is in learning to cope with our infirmities until our demise, but what if there was one who has the power to cure that which seems incurable? Would we not do everything within our power to find this person so we might be healed?

Each generation studies and endeavors to find cures for the afflictions of the body. Much remains beyond the intellect of people, but the power of all healing is before us, the healing power of God. Though Jesus was able to heal the leper, the infirm, the lame, the blind, the deaf and the diseased; His first concern was for the soul. ( Matthew 9:1-8 ) If this is the concern of the Son of God, should we not have this priority as well?

The leper came to Jesus, because the leper believed in the power of the only begotten Son of God. The leper sought the healing power of Jesus so that the body of the leper might be made clean. He saw this as his path to end his exile, so that he may once more be allowed in the company of his family, friends, and community. If this is what comes from the healing of the body, how much more so may we engage those we love with the removal of the affliction of our sin which yields healing of our soul?

As the people learned of the healing power of Jesus, they flocked to him with their infirmities and with their loved ones for whom they sought healing. If only we flocked to our Savior with the same fervor for the healing of that which afflicts the soul. Perhaps we do not because we perceive the pain of the afflictions of the body, but we do not so easily perceive the pain of the afflictions of the soul.

Some of the world might ask, what are the infirmities of the soul? They are that which rends and tears at our relationship with God and one another. They are that which cause us to turn from the commandments of our Lord, which are the commandments of love. They are that which cause us to lash out in incivility and injustice. They are that which cause us to spread the emotions of darkness, evil, and hate. As we allow these infirmities to grow within us, we also allow them to infect those who surround us.

Jesus told us that if we have faith in Him, we may do the works that He did and even works greater. (John 14:12) We might be tempted to think as to what is greater in terms of our physical realm, but if we are to look to what is greater in the eyes of heaven, we should look in terms of the soul. Jesus asked those who murmured against Him as He forgave the sins of the paralytic before him, "Whether is easier, to say, your sins are forgiven you: or to say, Arise, and walk?" (Matthew 9:5)

It is forgiveness which begins the path of healing. Such healing is not only found in the forgiveness we receive, but the forgiveness we offer. Our healing continues as we turn away from the behaviors of sin to the behaviors of virtue, such as humility, kindness, meekness, diligence, generosity, temperance, and chastity. It is our faith in Him and His call to these behaviors which will cleanse us of the infirmities of our soul and prepare us for the day He will call us to His kingdom, where love is shared by all, where there is no pain or affliction, and where evil is not allowed to follow.

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways do we exhibit the symptoms of spiritual afflictions?

In what ways may we seek the healing of that which afflicts our soul?

In what ways may we help to do the healing works of our Savior?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier