Healing

I was asked this week, as a recommended topic of study, to focus on the Savior and His power to heal. We know that in the Bible, Christ's ministry was filled with healing the sick, lame, mute, deaf, handicapped, possessed, and sometimes, even already deceased. As members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it is also known that God loves all of His children and afforded those in the ancient Americas the same blessings of having Christ with them as those in Jerusalem and it's surrounding areas were given the opportunity. During Christ's ministry, He told his disciples "other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (King James Bible: St. John, Chapter 10 verse 16) After Christ's death, He appeared to those in the Americas to allow all of God's children the opportunity to see Christ, to be in His presence as so many in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and other such places were able to. The reason for this explanation is as a sort of precursor to the scripture that really struck me in the Book of Mormon. I suppose it makes more sense to get a sort of idea of what is happening when Christ says what He says. He has appeared to those in America and has taught them the doctrines that he taught his disciples such as the beattitudes, (blessed are the....) the commandments, and the general running of His church. He then tells them that He has to go and visit other sheep. (Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi, chapter 17 verse 5 and 6) "And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them. And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you." This next verse is the verse that hit me the most and that I wanted to share my thoughts on, "Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have you any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy." (Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi, Chapter 17 verse 7) I thought about Christ and His power to heal, and I thought, "He can heal each of these things, figuratively, in me." So I thought about each point and would like to share them with you. Any Sick I once had a very sick mind and my spirit suffered as a result. My mind and my actions were so saddening when I think back on them. Lame I can not walk on this road alone. I need Christ to heal me and be my crutches, so to speak. Only with His help can I take the steps needed to get back to God and to Christ. Blind In my previous life, I could not see what I was doing wrong. I was blinded by the many bad choices and many childish decisions that I made. I did not want to see that what I was doing was destroying me. Alternatively, I could not, and still find it a challenge to, see a bright and a hopeful future. One where I could have the things I wanted and still be spiritual and right with the Lord. With Christ's healing, I hope to have a renewed vision for my future. Halt The definition of halt is "a suspension of movement or activity..." This I know to be true for me. I can not move forward. My progress in this life has been suspended. My activity in the church of Jesus Christ has, indeed, been suspended. However, the definition goes on, "a suspension of movement or activity typically a temporary one" This gives me hope. I know that, while I can not participate as a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I know that it is because I need to get to the place of healing. I must be healed enough to live a life that is in line with Christ's teachings and I'm still working on that. But this inactivity and this suspension in movement is definitely a temporary thing that, with Christ's love, grace, and healing, can be put back into activity and movement soon. Maimed I have hurt myself with my actions. I hurt others with my lack of example and lack of the spirit. I am, now, a wounded individual with lots of scarring; some of which may never go away and may even be visible to others. Christ promises that He can heal that, too. And what comfort that brings. Lepers Yes even Leprosy. When I think of a leper, I think of one whom others are afraid to touch or get close to; one who doesn't fit in or belong; an outcast. Because of my mistakes, I gave up a life close to God and pushed many good people away. On my road back, I feel like my past has left me cast out. I don't know where I belong and I don't know how to get close to others or let others get close to me. I feel like, because of the choices I make and "if only that person really knew the things I did" that people would not want to be friends with me or would not want to be around me, not unlike a leper. Christ can heal this, too. He already is. I have found people who don't care what I did in the past, but rather care what my future holds and they want to be a part that helps me have that good future. People will say nice things to me or say something nice about me (that I usually don't believe) and I get the feeling that "okay, you might be able to fit in after all." The great thing that I forget about is that all of us have done stupid things. No one is perfect and if we are going to be mean to someone or shun someone because we feel like their mistakes are too awful, then we need to seriously step back and realize our own faults and mistakes too before cutting someone out of our lives for their mistakes. Withered This is an interesting definition of withered, "to lose the freshness of youth." Christ asks us to become as little children. I have lost, or had lost, that belief in Christ. My submission and humility were overshadowed by my stubbornness and my false sense of freedom "I can do what I want, the church can't tell me how to live." It is not the church telling us how to live, it is Christ telling how to live. And Christ is only offering one choice. He is telling us how to live a life that is happy and with true joy. I saw it as Christ telling me what to do and taking my freedom from me. Ironically, I was free to choose sadness. I chose bad influences, bad language, bad movies, bad music, and bad habits that, though I can't (nor do I want to) get into detail, all of these actions left me more trapped and more of a slave. So much for "freedom." I imagine a sad, old man; wrinkled with age and withered, spiritually, emotionally, and maybe even physically, from a life of sin and regret. Christ can heal me. He can heal all of us. We can have a new lease on life and find that "freshness of youth" that we forgot about so many terrible mistakes ago. Deaf Almost done, I promise. As with being blind, I closed my ears to words of caution and words of help. I also am deaf to the promptings of the spirit. Christ is actually in the process of healing that for me right now. As I listen more and more to the things that the spirit is telling me are good choices and prompting me to do (and I have a choice whether I want to do them or not) and when I choose those good things, I am able to hear more and more good things and make more and more good choices. Afflicted in any manner Last one. This sums it all up basically. Christ can heal ANYTHING. Emotional scarring, physical shortcomings or appetites, spiritual malnourishment, and mental exhaustion and unhappiness. Christ can heal it all. I can not fathom that and it is hard for me to understand the amazing scope of just how awesome that is that Christ can do that for EVERYONE, not just me. But it's pretty good to know that I have a physician on hand all the time who can heal me and I hope we all take comfort in knowing that no matter what our figurative illness may be, we can be made new and whole through Christ.