I’ve learned over time that the healing and breakthrough we’re seeking often requires deeper work. And I’ll be the first to confess that I don’t particularly like the deeper work at first. I resist it. Because the pain has become familiar, comfortable. I’ve grown used to it. I’ve even developed habits and routines around it. It’s become part of who I am, part of my identity.

Being healed means that I’d have to step into the unfamiliar, the uncomfortable. It means that I’d have to alter my habits and change my routines and redefine my identity. Being healed takes work, and sometimes I’d just rather not. I’m tired, and transformation feels like too much work. In our pursuit of healing and breakthrough, we often encounter resistance within ourselves. The idea of stepping into the unfamiliar and uncomfortable can be daunting. 

Just as the paralyzed man made excuses, we, too, have our own set of reasons for not fully embracing healing. We may say, “It’s too hard,” “It won’t work,” or “I can’t do it.” It’s a human tendency to focus on the problem rather than the promise.