Sunday, March 19, 2023
“Pray for Healing of Self”
Today’s Lenten Challenge, to pray for healing of our “self”, will be easy for some and difficult for others. For the folks who don’t have a problem asking God to heal them, this Challenge is so easy that you’ve probably already accomplished it today. For others, though, asking God for our own healing from physical injury, illness, or handicap, is outside of our box.
Crying to the LORD to help us overcome anxiety, depression, or other mental and emotional illness, doesn’t always seem to portray love and humility. However, we often forget that we, ourselves, are walking temples of God’s creation. Though we might not feel perfect, God has given us exactly what we need. God wants us to be healthy. God wants us to be as complete as we were created to be. When we are less than whole, whether it be because of illness, injury, tragic circumstances, or emotional trauma, it is only right that we should take our concerns to God.
When we pray for healing of our “self,” it is not selfish. Nor does God consider the prayer as one of pride or irrelevance. God wants us to feel good. God wants us to be the best we can be and a prayer for our own physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health is actually a prayer for God’s temple. The better we feel, the more effective we can be as witnesses to God’s love and work in the world. A quick fix bandaid doesn’t always turn out to fix anything … only the One that created us can know how to perfectly mend us from the inside.
Today, give yourself permission to cry to God for whatever physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual pain is hindering you. Trust that God not only receives your heart’s cry, He longs to draw you to His own heart!
“They cried out to the LORD in their distress; he delivered them from their troubles. He sent them an assuring word and healed them; he rescued them from the pits where they were trapped. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his loyal love, and for the amazing things he has done for people.” (Psalm 107:19-21, NET)
