Healing: Obtain It, Maintain It, Sustain It!

Working in a senior community, I often wondered if the residents enjoy being sick more then living healthy. I watched as they had family coming in and out of their apartments. The ill residents were hardly ever seen...well, until they stopped getting visitors. Hmm, mystery solved.

There was one resident in particular that fascinated me. He didn't have much family but plenty of neighbors and friends that cared about him. He wanted for nothing (Proverbs 19:4 AMP). When he became ill, he was surrounded by scores of friends. He complained that he couldn't breath and needed further medical assistance. The ambulance was there in a few minutes. When they asked what the matter was, he kept gasping but never answered them. They left for the hospital. He was admitted and stayed for over a week. When he returned, the neighbors and friends took shifts to make sure he had round the clock care. After some time, they insisted for him to get up and walk around. He claimed that he couldn't. They urged for him to do some menial tasks for himself. He retorted that he wasn't well enough yet. So they suggested that he might have to return to the hospital. He paused before rejecting that suggestion as well. It was about then that they felt imposed upon and stopped taking shifts. They no longer answered his calls. When he did got visitors again after some time, they weren't surprised to see how well he did for himself. In fact, he was even ready to go outside for a walk which used to be his regular routine (Proverbs 17:9 AMP).

As Christians, don't we have a different belief system? Do you remember how we spoke the mantra, "name it then claim it"? What happened to that? It was going to be the title of this entry, but then I wondered if I would get any readers. That very mantra was a discussion in a Christian group on one of the social networks. It became heated and I had to leave wondering what happened to our values. Believers have become so angry with God because they have lost family members, friends, and members of their own bodies because of sickness and disease. Alright, we can get angry, but let it be justified. Let there be a legitimate reason for it and not waste time when you could be doing something more constructive. God tells us to state our case (Isaiah 43:26 AMP). Make it plain and make sure you are reminding Him of His Word so you can get your facts straight. By the way, don't forget to add faith in there (Hebrews 11:6 AMP). Don't tell Him what you saw and how you felt...you'll only make Him angry and then it will be awhile before you get any answers (Hebrews 11:1 AMP). Don't believe me? Click on the references and read for yourself.

From my perspective, I know what I have overcome and what I still have to do. As a child, I hated household chores. It took away from the fun I could have outside with my friends. Even when I was allowed to play first, I knew when it was all over, the chores would be waiting for me. If I didn't do them, I would be punished. As a grown woman, not cleaning your own house spills over into other things. Being disorganized at your job, brain fog, and an overall sense of depression. Having this understanding, puts some things into perspective and therefore cleaning for your own physical, emotional, and mental health made sense to do and maintain (1 Corinthians 13:11 AMP).

Because of the training I received as a child having both parents retired from the military, it was unheard of to have an unkempt home. When they divorced, dusting and vacuuming wasn't a priority. Keeping it emotionally together was. Not knowing that, made everything difficult to do. Blame was placed and the focus on serious matters were displaced. Sickness was waiting to get a stronghold...but God. In spite of the long journey ahead, Mom kept us in church. Eventually, we got it some of those things together, first by understanding why faith and then we could use it. It was the habitual practice of what God says to do that kept us strong to be who we are today. We understood why the need to have a healthy diet, exercise, and a well kept home didn't mean anything without rest in God. Some things are better understood then others and the journey continues, but we aren't where we used to be.

Gnats like an unkempt house. Actually, all sorts of bugs do as well. As dust settles on and around the occupant, he/she begins to cough. A cough that seems to last longer then the average cold. More dust settles and becomes thicker - like a blanket. The cobwebs don't look like spiders made them anymore. The dust starts to hang like grey weeping willows in a forest of ick. After awhile, even the house knows that it is no longer being cared for and one thing after another starts to break down. If not the roof, then the plumbing, if not that the flooring is loose, or the railing, or one of the shingles fell off. If these matters aren't tended to, then it isn't long before vermin accepts the invitation for residency; and not just the 4 legged kind. There are vermin that we can't see that manifests itself in other ways. Those that have been treated for ringworm and other skin diseases got them from someone who has issues with cleaning their house. Watching the show, Hoarders, if nothing else, can teach lessons on having the desire to keep a home clean - always!

Now look at your house - that is, your physical body. It is the temple of the Lord. The Lord being the Prince of Peace, the way maker, the life giver, the healer, the miracle worker. He is the greater one on the inside of you. Why would you have any sickness or disease on or around you? It doesn't make sense, does it? You are needed for a time such as this but can't do what God has called you to do because you aren't feeling well? What? Why? Have you asked (James 4:2-4 AMP)?

The common thing to do for Christians is pray first then go seek medical attention. Yeah, yeah, there's nothing wrong with that. The suggestion here is why not add one more step to what you already know to do. Ask God, in your prayers, why. What happened? What did you say, do, or think that would cause for this to come upon you? You must have this understanding to keep sickness off of you. We understand that the generational curse is broken (John 3:17-19 AMP). We understand that God desires for us to be healed (Matthew 19:12-13 AMP). We understand that if it has a name it must bow to the name of Jesus (Philippians 2:10 KJV). Now, understand it so that it is a habit and not something that you take out every once in awhile. Healing belongs to you. You have not because you ask not. Now that you know, lets put the hospitals out of business!!!

Tighten It Up!

It is a phrase that is used when there is too much slack in a particular thing. I also use this term when telling my youngest son to clean his room. In this blog excerpt, I am using this term in that very manner. It's over due for Spring Cleaning.

Some people do this every season. It is why you see when the garbage truck comes around some have more junk at the curb then others. Then you have those who can find a use for everything they have whether it is broken up or just so old no one else can see a use for it. When the revelation knowledge comes for them to give up some things then there is a pityful garage sale a little too late. No one can use certain technological products that are obsolete. It's a waste of time having a garage sale when you waited too long to get rid of stuff.

Personally, I look at my closet that can get stuffed from time to time. I like to keep certain garments just to see if I can still get into them after so many years. But when they get too big and its been more than three years, I see no purpose in keeping them. I purchase mostly classical pieces that can stay in style for a longer length of time and are a blessing to those who can recieve them.

Spiritually though, it takes that time with the Lord in being quiet and hearing what He says (1 Kings 19:12 KJV). Then after that hearing, we are suppose to act on what we heard (Romans 10:17 NIV). Whether it is not to talk so much, use the talents you have instead of getting a second job, or clearing stuff off of your desk, closet, or house. It's the smallest of things to do and you would be surprised at how much more clearly one can think when those things are cleared away.

I have been watching a few shows about Hoarders and how they behave or what made them hoarders to begin with. Many times it was something traumatic that made them react in such a way. Your trauma may not be as horrific as someone else's and yet the reaction can be the same - or can it? Does hoarding happen all at once? Some became hoarders because of how they lived as children. But I believe once you establish a home of your own, you make certain decisions and maintain them. For the most part, it is a mental disease and has to be treated as such.

Spiritually; however, there are those who have attachments to things and have kept them within, thinking no one will know or see those things but them. You would be wrong. God sees the hearts of men and if He is the greater one living on the inside of others (1 John 4:4 KJV), they see it too. Not to forget that the truth always comes to light (Luke 12:2 KJV). So that which you believe is secret, when angry or reacting in some other emotion, that which is hoarded on the inside will be blurted right out. How does one clean that up when it has been exposed for all to see?

When Mel Gibson left his first wife with all of those children. I felt sorry for her that he would do such a thing when she had been with him all of that time. I even thought he was more attractive that he had so many children with the same woman and decided to stay with her for all of those years. Then when creating The Passion of Christ, he just reached another level of suave and debonair. Alright, he got drunk and said some things. It wasn't his best moment, but still - he created the movie about Jesus! Wow - right? Then this week his second wife released some audio tape of him going on and on about how he was really feeling about her. It was hateful, demeaning, and it exposed what he had been harboring about certain people for a long time. She had heard all of this before or her reaction would have been much different. What had his first wife been through for all of those years? I no longer felt sorry for her but could actually envision her dance of relief and utter joy that he finally left her for someone else. Mel Gibson's career after the inward appearance of his heart has been exposed to all? Its pretty obvious - isn't it?

It is a good example for us as Christians to keep a vigilant watch over our selves and those God would have us get up in the wee hours of the morning to pray for (Ephesians 6:18 AMP). Having unforgiveness in our hearts about a matter or person will lead to a lack in some other place in our lives (Matthew 6:14-15 KJV). It will start off very subtle and before you know it because you got use to it, it has become a mountain (Mark 11:23 KJV). Naturally we tend to view (think, ponder, speak, hash and rehash) the problem more then the solution. This practice is magnifying the situation we would rather get rid of. God is the All Mighty not the situation.

Oprah had a hoarder on her show. She was a mother of three grown children. She knew that the problem started when her children were leaving the home to establish lives of their own. So she began purchasing and collecting things to fill her empty nest. Her husband remained quiet. He just believed her shopping was making his wife happy and he allowed for the clutter to overwhelm him, her and their home. When she was ready to receive the help that she needed and finally relinguished her hold on all of the stuff, the therapist gathered and sorted through the mounds and mounds of things and categorized them in a warehouse for her to see. The family including her, marveled at how much she packed into a three bedroom, three garage home. The warehouse was the size of a football field. Then while she was coming down from the horrific sight, they walked over to another large room that the therapist covered with a curtain. He revealed all of the appliances and televisions that couldn't fit in the warehouse. The entire family began to cry.

Why does it have to get to that point? Why do we have to get so angry that all of the suppressed rage comes out to where families are destroyed, feelings are hurt, and relationships are damaged beyond repair. Wait... look at those descriptive words. Destroyed...hurt... and damaged. Who does that (John 10:10 KJV)? What would you have to do with him? Is he your friend? Does he give you comfort? Who are you listening to? Who haven't you forgiven? When did you stop watching? Why aren't you vigilant anymore (1 Peter 5:8 AMP)? When did you slack up on your responsibilities? What is it going to take?

Do you see your mess now? Are there some things that you can let go of? Do you see the purpose of blessing those who spitefully use you? Now can you pick up the slack and really tighten it up this time.