By David Armstrong, who writes weekly about prayer at Ere You Left Your Room This Morning
In her talk, “Come Unto Christ and Don’t Come Alone,” in October 2021 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sister Bonnie H. Cordon said: “Nothing is too big or too small for Jesus Christ to heal.”
My life contains many large wounds and scars that need Christ’s healing touch. Although I may conceal them from the world and even from close associates, I know they are there, and I long for the day of the Lord when he will heal them.
But I am also troubled by myriad little hurts, scratches, and bumps—pebbles in my shoes with which I have lived for so long I hardly notice them. Calluses have grown around them. They don’t hurt much, except when I step wrong or walk a far distance. I’m too busy to stop and take off my shoe and remove the irritant. I simply hobble along, curse the discomfort, and trust the callus will thicken.
Jesus is ready to heal the little things just as surely as He will heal the big things. He who can cause the blind to see and the lame to walk can also heal my bruised foot. He is willing and able. He knows the pebble is there. So why does He let me limp about every day? Why doesn’t He do something?
Because I don’t ask. Because I don’t think about it. I let it pester me until I get used to it. I think it is my lot in life. If Jesus wanted me to be better, wouldn’t He just heal me?
But no, not until I stop, take off my shoe, and remove the pebble. He will not heal a wound that I continually open. He will not heal the bruise as long as I insist on keeping the pebble in my shoe.
The first step to healing even the smallest hurt is not His, but mine.
Nevertheless, even when I finally come to my senses and remove the pebble, the second part is also mine. I must ask for healing. Until I finally ask, He waits patiently—ever willing but never without my request, which is my agency.
Image from Pixabay photos
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