In Luke's gospel, we read a beautiful account of what friendship looks like.
A man who was paralysed and lay on a mat most of his life couldn’t get to the man who could heal him.
Four of his faith-filled friends decided to carry him.
They walked carrying him on his mat. It doesn’t say how long they walked.
When they got to the house where Jesus was teaching, the house was bursting at its seams.
It was full of people, all leaning in, hanging on to every word he was speaking.
The man's friends couldn't get through the crowds to reach the man; they knew their friend needed help.
They decided to walk up the side steps of the house and onto the flat roof. They took the tiles off and made an opening. They didn’t hesitate but lowered their friend gently till he was laid at the feet of Jesus.
Jesus looked at the man and said, “Because of your friend's Faith, your sins are forgiven.” Then, after some teaching and discussion with those who were arguing with Jesus, he said to the paralysed man, “Get up, take your mat and walk”
This Man’s friends had the Faith. Jesus didn’t say that the paralysed man had faith.
Personally, I’ve been struggling to believe that Jesus could heal my ruptured ACL.
I know that Jesus can do all things, and I think I could easily pray for the healing of others. But this issue of mine felt too big. It would mean Jesus creating a new ligament for me.
Many of my friends have prayed for me, and some of them have anointed me with oil.
Each time they prayed, I had the thought and internally prayed.
“Jesus, help my unbelief “
I then felt guilty for not having the faith. Or the same amount of faith that my friends had,
for me.
After a couple of my faith-filled friends prayed over me again, I started to feel different. I have seen significant changes in my knee. I’ve had less pain, and I’m now walking without a crutch.
As I was messaging my friends, telling them of my improvement
I typed these words
“Thank you for letting me borrow your faith”
Maybe you may be in the position that I was in. Maybe your situation seems too big, and you can't see God stepping in and changing it.
You may be finding it difficult to pray.
Let me encourage you to ask people to pray for you. When we are in the family of God, we have brothers and sisters who can support us when we feel too weak to help ourselves.
When we can’t find the words or the faith to pray, we can borrow their faith and let them do the praying for us.
Since re-reading the story of the man in the stretcher, when I pray for people whom I know who need a touch from Jesus. I picture them on a stretcher, and I bring them to Jesus' feet. Then I walk away.
When we pray, that is what we are doing: we are bringing situations to the one who is our healer, problem solver, peace giver. It's not our job to fix people; we get to carry them to Him and then walk away. Leaving them in His competent hands. We no longer need to carry them or worry about them. God has them.
For those of us who are struggling with faith, especially when it comes to healing, God understands where you’re at.
In Matthew Chapter 17:20, Jesus says, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you”
There are times when God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we would want him to.
This is where the mustard seed faith fits in.
I’m handing over my tiny seed of faith and allowing God to be God.
He is sovereign. He is good. He is kind.
We need to keep believing in Him even when we don’t get our own way.
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