Earlier this morning, I was in a class among a group of ministry students who were asked to declare one truth over a lie they have recently believed. One girl stepped forward and boldly declared, "God is my Healer, He wants to heal me. It is NOT MY FAULT that I've been sick."
Yes! Yes! Yes!
This has been something that has burned within me for God's people for quite some time. So often we start to believe this lie that when we are sick, when our body breaks, it is our fault. We did something wrong, or we fell short of doing everything right. This can be especially true with autoimmune diseases, gut issues, and inflammatory symptoms.
"I'm too anxious. I ate the wrong things. I'm too stressed, too busy, too emotional. I am not active enough. I shouldn't have eaten that, now I have to pay for it. I haven't been eating organic, gluten free, dairy free, soy free. I haven't taken care of my body well, so God is punishing me. I just need to pray harder. It's really just my fault."
Oh friends... I swam through these lies many times over the years. But guess what I learned... it's not my fault when my body does not feel well. Health issues that rise up against me are not my fault.
Jesus never expects us to be perfect in our diet, our emotions, or our response to life because there is no “perfect.” Nowhere in Scripture is there an outline for how we are to eat; how we are to feel; or how we are supposed to take care of our body. Why do we expect that perfection of ourselves then? What a heavy burden that is to carry.
Instead, I propose to you that God is FOR YOU. He desires to heal you, and to see you live in abundant freedom. Sometimes He takes us on a healing journey, and it does not happen overnight. We often have a PART to play in that journey, but there is grace when we mess up or fall short. There is so much grace.
We have a PART to play, but we are not responsible for everything. It is easy to get confused with what is our part and what is Jesus' part.
What is He asking you to do? What is He asking you to let go of? What is He promising you He will do for you?
“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”