Do you wish to get well?

In John 5:6, Jesus asks a man who had been limited by illness for 38 years a simple question.  "Do you wish to get well?"  I am fascinated by this question.  At first glance the answer is obvious - of course I want to get well, who would want to stay unwell for any extended period of time.  Most of my existence is me either reveling in the good times or asking God to get me out of the bad times.  We all think we want to be well. 

However it is interesting because still Jesus asks the question.  And in the question Jesus reveals something - He is truly the only way that this man could get well.  This is the hard part.  We do not want to surrender control over our lives to an unknown.  We want to do things in the way that we have worked our minds around and only that way.  If there is another way that is unknown and potentially difficult, maybe if given the choice we would actually answer no.  In fact, many times I think we do answer no.  We do not want to be well in the way that only Jesus can heal us.  Sometimes His way involves difficulty and trial and we do not want that.  Sometimes His way involves forgiveness and we do not want to do that.  Sometimes His way involves going against the grain of society and standing out.  We  do not want to do that.  And so we answer no.  Unwittingly and silently we tell Jesus no we do not want to be well in His appointed way. 

And so we continue in our state of being unwell simply because we are unwilling to try the way that Jesus has made for us.  Is this you today?  Are you unwell and yet have not tried the way that Jesus prescribed for you?  Maybe you should try.  Maybe you should seek God's Word and the way that God would want you to be obedient.  This is the path to wellness.  Do you want to be well?