Today, I prayed for healing.

Today, I prayed for healing.

Today, I sat in my dangerous Jesus class, and I felt my heart begin to beat a little faster. Our teacher announced that we were being “sent out”.

A short time later, I found myself crammed into a small car with four other girls. Our assignment was to find someone who needed healing, and then proclaim healing over them in the name of Jesus.

I knew at that moment I had two choices.

 I could either revert back to the old habits of my flesh, allowing the chains of anxiety to overtake me. I could get away with hiding in the back, and let everyone else do the talking. I could stand frozen, letting fear control me.

Or, I could fully live out my freedom in Christ, rejecting anything but courage and boldness to spring up in me. 

I took a deep breath, feeling the power of the Holy Spirit within me, and I made a conscious decision to go with my freedom, relying upon the Lord for guidance, grace and courage. 

We ended up going to the home of a sweet older gentlemen, who has been experiencing numbness in his legs to the point of having to use a wheelchair most of the time. A result of his open heart surgery the year prior. 

We laid hands on his legs and prayed for healing.

Then we just continued to get to know him, learning about his late wife and his family. As the time drew near for us to leave we laid hands on his legs again, proclaiming full healing over him.

It wasn’t a miraculous moment. Complete and full healing didn’t come right away. But something in that room had changed, and he told us that his legs felt better! He stood up, walked around, and told us they felt better then before!

We left him with plans of visiting again. As I leaned down to hug goodbye this lonely old man, in blue overalls, and a cap on his head. He embraced me in his arms just as though I were his very granddaughter. I felt his joy, that someone would care enough about him to stop by. I felt a little loneliness leave his heart. I felt a new healing taking place in his body and soul. And all we did was spend thirty minutes with him. 

It hit me slowly, all of the times I’ve held back in fear. All of the times I miss the opportunity to show Jesus to those around me. All of the people who needed healing around me, and I selfishly kept to myself.

We have it! We have what this world needs. We know the Healer, we know the lover of their souls. We have the answer to everything this world is longing for. We have Jesus.

I want times like the one I had today to become my new normal. I want to love others so recklessly that I forget what is socially acceptable. Where I don’t even notice the awkwardness of it all anymore.

 I want to care so much for others that its not a competition against the selfish thoughts running through my head to go beyond just me and place myself in positions where the Lord has to come through. Because this life is short, and I carry within me what they need.

They need Jesus.

 I know Jesus.

 And that is the beginning of everything.