As
a Christian, I believe that true healing comes ultimately
from God.
I have seen some things that
I can personally only attribute to direct intervention by God. However, it's
also true that even the most dramatic physical healing is, at
best, temporary. We're all destined to die someday.
I
believe that we live in a broken world, in which man begins
his life separate from God...a separation which can be healed
only by receiving God's gift of forgiveness, provided by the
sacrifice of the life of his son, Jesus Christ. This reconciliation
of a man and his maker is permanent...eternal...and what I
might refer to as "true healing".
God's
forgiveness is available to all, no matter where you are in
life...no matter what you've done or what you've believed in
the past. You can't be too old or too sick to ask Jesus to become
the lord of your life. He's always there, waiting...holding
out his hand to you. If you don't feel that you're strong enough
to ask or to act on your own, he will even help you with the
asking part.
This
is not about church or organized religion. It's a relationship
between you and God. In fact, God already did all the work.
He provided an innocent sacrifice to take on the brokenness
of the whole world. All you have to do is ask for that sacrifice
to be applied to you...to admit that you realize that you're
broken and that you need him to take over. Just ask him. It's
that simple.
If
you do decide to ask Jesus to come and live in your heart, the
next best step you can take is to get a bible. Something modern-language
will do. It's important that you be able to understand it. A
lot of people like the New International Version. And this
one is good, too. There's a good online version you can
read for free right
here. The Bible is a huge book. You might want to start
someplace other than the beginning. The
Gospel of John is a great place to start.
The
purpose of church is to get together with others who have made
the same decision you have. Pray that God will give you wisdom
in finding a place that will help you grow in your relationship
with him.
It
can also be really good to read some helpful books. Some you
might consider are: What's
So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey or Mere
Christianity by C.S. Lewis.
And
here is a promise from God himself to encourage you in your
journey: 'You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me
with all your heart.' (Jeremiah 29:13)
I
pray that God would comfort you in your time of struggle. I
pray even more that you find true healing and spend eternity
with Him. |
