I love the story of Jesus healing the crippled woman. If you’re unfamiliar with it, the story is recorded in Luke 13:10–17. Jesus was teaching in one of the local synagogues and noticed a woman in the congregation who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years.
Wow—eighteen years! That’s a long time to live bent over, unable to stand tall and straight.
Jesus saw her in the crowd, called her forward, and set her free. When He placed His hands on her, she immediately straightened up and began praising God.
There are a few powerful lessons for you and me in this story.
It’s easy to adopt attitudes or behaviors that leave us spiritually or emotionally crippled.
- It might be an attitude of inferiority, causing us to lean toward anything that fills our need for significance.
- It might be bitterness, making us lean toward revenge.
- It might be emotional neediness, pulling us toward anyone who can fill our love gap.
Honestly, all of us want to feel loved, appreciated, and significant. So we bend:
- Some of us bend toward our husbands or boyfriends, groping for more love and attention than they can give.
- Some of us bend toward our kids, hoping they’ll fill our need to feel worthwhile.
- Some of us bend toward our friends, placing greater expectations on them than they can fulfill.
- Some of us bend toward our careers, becoming obsessed with success.
- Some of us bend toward material things, hoping that the right stuff will make life feel more complete.
But here’s the thing:
Whatever consumes you other than Jesus leaves you crippled.
Eventually, our crippled state starts to feel normal and keeps us from becoming all that God created us to be. It can feel impossible to move beyond our paralysis and live confidently as someone who has been made whole.
The answer? Become consumed with Jesus.
That might sound abstract. You might be wondering, How?
In the middle of balancing family, friends, work, school, and other commitments, how do we become obsessed with Jesus?
Here are a few ideas:
– Set your focus on Jesus every day.
Before you get out of bed in the morning, whisper a prayer like this:
Lord Jesus, I want to be consumed with You today. As I go about my day, help me focus on Your love and acceptance. When I’m tempted to worry about what others think, remind me that Your opinion is the one that counts. When I feel pressure to prove my worth, remind me that I already have significance as Your child.
– Praise Jesus often throughout the day.
An attitude of gratitude helps us focus on the Giver, not just the gifts. In fact, gratitude has been proven to make you more positive and resilient in every life situation. Praising God draws you closer to Him—so why not try it?
– Remind yourself of your identity in Christ.
Whatever cripples you is often what you’re using to define your identity. Instead, anchor your heart in this truth: You are a beloved child of God. No earthly opinion and no accomplishment can top that. Once you internalize that truth, you’ll find the strength to stand tall and walk confidently.
Here’s a question for you to consider:
What attitude or action most tends to cripple you?
Purchase Becky’s latest book Cultivating Deeper Connections in A Lonely World here.
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