The full story of Jesus healing the man by the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15) raises all kinds of practical and theological questions. Perhaps the question that most piques my curiosity is this: why does Jesus ask a person who has clearly suffered for a long time if he wants to be well? If he wants to be healed? While I know Jesus is purposeful in all he does, this question has always confounded me....

Our answer to his question, which could also be translated as, “Do you want to become whole?” isn’t always a definitive yes, but more like a tentative maybe. More than likely, what we want is relief. Relief from pain, dis-ease, and discomfort that fester from unhealed fractures. We want the fruit of healing and wholeness without all the hard work it can require.

What would it look like to be open to healing instead of settling, striving, and stuffing?