I was doing Bible study this morning, reading in Mark (starting in Chapter 4, verse 35) about Jesus calming the storm, delivering the demon-possessed man, healing the woman who'd been hemmorhaging for twelve years, raising Jairus' daughter and then going on to His home town to give a sermon on the Sabbath (Mark 6). What has struck me about this is the simple (understated) statement in verses 5 and 6.

Mark 6:5&6 "5 And He was not able to do even one work of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sickly people [and] cured them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in Him). And He went about among the surrounding villages and continued teaching." -- Amplified

I wonder how often we refuse healing because we think it isn't possible. I think about my own back issues and weight issues. I've been debilitatingly overweight for twelve years. I have asked for healing. I've asked other people to pray for me. I've tried a lot of different things - usually only half-heartedly - and look, here I am, still fat. Trust me, I know I'm fat. When a person fondly looks back on the time when they were "only" one hundred pounds overweight, you know that person is truly fat.

Regardless, God tells us that we have not because we ask not. He tells us that ANYTHING we ask for in Jesus' name will be granted so that Jesus can bring Glory to the Father. He tells us that our faith has healed us. So, why am I still sick? Why am I still fat and in pain most of the time?

I think it's because of that little voice I hear inside my head that says, "He didn't mean you, Jenn." The truth is, He did mean me!

Now, for my next trick, I'm going to find a way to eliminate that negative voice inside my head. I KNOW God can do miracles. I know He can do miracles for me and in me and through me. I've seen the evidence. Now I just have to shift my focus a little bit. Instead of the near-martyr "... but not me" thing, I need to continuously remind myself that God loves me so much that He promised me - me, Jennifer - anything my heart desires. He promised that His yoke was easy and His burden was light.

So why am I making this so difficult for myself?

Have faith, Jenn. It's all good... and getting better.

Thus endeth the sermon. (a la Richard Marcinko)