What's Your Plan
Have you ever read a book or listened to a homily or podcast, and thought, "That's good stuff! I need to do that." And then you set it aside, and before you know it, two months have gone by, and you've forgotten all about it.
It reminds me of the story of Paul in Athens in Acts chapter 17. He's preaching in the Areopagus and he's killing it. He's really connecting, and many people are engaged in the conversation. At the end, some mocked him, some joined him and believed, and others said, "We will hear you again about this." It was interesting to them, but they were not moved to do anything.
I can relate. I hear things and agree. I may even be convicted that it's important for me, but unless I make a plan to do something with that information, there will be no change.
Wait! There's More!
If you watch an infomercial, at some point you'll hear, "Wait, there's more!" They tell you all about a great product that will solve your problems, but maybe you aren't sold on it yet. So wait! There's more!
Healing resources are like that. I've already covered nine in the last few posts. But there are more! God really wants us to experience His healing power, and so He offers us an abundance of resources to help. Here are five more to add to the ones already addressed.
Three Pillars of Lent
I've been seeing a lot of emails and social media posts about Lent. Join this group. Download this app. Get a daily reflection. Do this Bible study. Read this book. Attend this online retreat. We are not at a loss for good Lenten resources. Maybe we have too much!
It's easy to plan a robust Lenten season and find after a few days that you can't manage it all. We sometimes get discouraged and give up, frustrated that we had yet another unfruitful Lent. It doesn't have to be that way.
If we prayerfully consider the three pillars of Lent and how God wants us to grow through them, we can create a realistic plan for growth. The three pillars are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Here are some creative ways to practice these three disciplines. Perhaps they will help you discern the spiritual practices God de
I Need MORE Help
I had thought when I read about the healing miracles in the Gospels that they happened so quickly and easily. Jesus says a word or touches the person and BOOM, they are healed. Then everything is great. No more brokenness.
But I realized that I had made assumptions, some of them wrong. After Jesus healed the paralyzed man at the pool, he said, "Go, and sin no more." He healed the physical problem, but it was likely that more healing was needed. It is the same today. We may be healed in one way, but there are other areas that need attention. So I can see a doctor and pray and find a healing community, but there is more. I need more. More resources for the complete healing of my body, mind, and soul.
So here are three more resources that might be helpful on your healing journey.
I Need Help!
[Healing Part 5] Resources for Healing.
My father was an alcoholic who found sobriety at age 40. He had tried many times before to stop drinking, but it hadn't worked. The resources were there, but he didn't want to use them, or maybe he didn't want to use the ones he needed the most. Something changed when he was forty. He had a mystical experience of the Virgin Mary and never drank again. It was the result of a desperate prayer for help. It was then that he was open to the healing resources he needed.
When you are ready to experience the healing touch of Jesus, it's wise to tap into many resources. You can try the self-help approach: read a book and follow the steps provided. But that should not be the only part of your healing plan. We need more than a book.