Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him.
Luke 5:13 (NIV)

Just before Jesus healed this man with leprosy, the man came to Him and asked to be healed. Actually, he didn’t ask, he stated it as fact: “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” (Luke 5:12b) This man’s faith was strong. He knew that Jesus had the power to heal him if He was willing. Jesus’s response to this man is one I always need to remember: “I am willing.”

I have often heard people say something akin to “God willing, all will be well.” My personal experience with this is that God is ALWAYS willing to bring about good in my life. It is my job – like the man with leprosy – to go to God and show my faith and my willingness to trust Him.

My ego, pride, and self-centeredness are the things that keep me from the faith, trust and willingness needed to ask God for help. Until I am ready to let go of the way I think my life should be, I will stay stuck in doubt. Until I am ready to believe that God has my best interest in mind – no matter what is happening to me or around me – I will stay stuck in fear.

The beauty of this message is in the promise of Jesus: “I am willing.” It does not matter what it is inside of me that needs healing, He is always ready to say to me, “Be clean!”

What holds me back today from going to God with everything in me that needs to be healed? What keeps me from trusting His plan for my life?