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Chelsea Bailey | The Heartbeat Blog

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Oct 8, 2019
Faith· Hope

Do you want to be healed?

Woman throwing fall leaves

I’m all for the fall, but until recently, I was sort of mourning the end of summer.

This summer was good for my soul. I had a chance to slow down and refocus. To work on a couple projects, like this one, for my people (psst: that’s you). To be more in the moment.

We recently turned on our heater at home. I’m wearing my Ugg robe (Thanks, Mom!) and fuzzy slippers as I type this sentence.

I can feel the chill in the air. First it was unfamiliar. Uncomfortable, even. But I’m starting to settle in and sensing a growing excitement for what’s ahead.

Change can be hard. We all get stuck. But God created the seasons, so I don’t think he wants us to stay in the same place (literal or figurative) forever.

I’ve been studying the gospel of John alongside 90+ women at my church, and it’s been incredible to hear from God and learn from each other.

When I started reading John this summer, I was struck by all this suspense surrounding identity. As I watched the way Jesus interacted with people, I noticed how he has a way of telling people who they are.

When Jesus meets Simon, he says, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter).

Jesus is saying, I know who you are now, and I know who you will be. He gives Simon a new name, a new identity.

Something similar happens when Jesus meets Nathanael: When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.“

He points out a character trait. Perhaps slightly surprised, Nathanael asks Jesus, “How do you know me?” And Jesus answers, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree…”

These exchanges illustrate an important truth: Jesus knows us and sees us. Up close and at a distance.

A few weeks ago, I started a new online class, Strategic Planning. (Real talk: I was grumbling about it. I’m cool with the Bible classes I get to take, but this class? Not so exciting. It seemed so boring and business-y.)

While I was reading for class one day (and not happy about it), a sentence suddenly jumped. off. the. page. God was speaking to me THROUGH MY TEXTBOOK. He’s wild like that! Here’s what I read:

Clarity about identity is crucial because often the most effective way to influence a person is not to tell them what to do but to communicate who he or she is.

John M. Bryson

I mean, wow. It resonated with me because I realized that this is exactly what I saw Jesus doing in the first few pages of John. He’s not so much telling people what to do but rather telling them who they are.

We all want to know who we are. So how do you find out? You get to know your Creator, and he will tell you.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

John 1:9-13

Believing in Jesus means that you gain a new identity as a child of God.

When Simon Peter and Nathanael met Jesus, he invited them to come and see where he was going. He invited them to literally walk with him, which meant spending quality time together.

Are you curious about Jesus? Maybe you’ve heard his name but don’t really think he’s for you. Or maybe you have a ton of questions.

If you’re reading these words, I bet you care about who you are and how to live your life to the fullest.

Maybe you’ve tried the whole “religion” thing, and you’re tired of people telling you how to act and what to do.

Instead of rattling off a list of rules, Jesus is extending the same invitation to you today: Come and see what I’m up to. Follow me.

He invites us to believe and to talk with him. He tells us who we are. He asks us to turn from sin to a new way of life. But he doesn’t force or coerce.

We have a choice. And this choice is on display in John 5, when Jesus seeks out a disabled man.

We don’t know his name, but we know his issue. He’s been lying on a mat outside the city walls for nearly four decades, when Jesus approaches and asks him a question: Do you want to get well?

You’d think the man would say “YES!” … right?

But he doesn’t. Instead, he makes some excuses. And before we jump to conclusions, let’s think about it…

Healing requires risk, hope, change. It’s painful. It demands that we confront our past and how we’re living our life.

This social outcast is stuck on a mat. He’s familiar with his current reality. It’s become his identity. And he cannot even fathom what Jesus is offering him.

And despite his excuses — Jesus heals his body! The man moves from disabled to able in an instant. Can you imagine the freedom?

And here’s my favorite part … Jesus approaches this man TWICE. This time, they’re in the temple.

Did you catch that?

This man’s healing allows him access to a new place, a place he’d likely never been, a place with people he’d never met.

Jesus seeks him out and says: “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.”

First, Jesus reminds the man of his identity: You are well. Second, he invites him to deeper healing, to cross over from death to life, to know his healer and to claim an even greater identity: forgiven, loved, and empowered.

Jesus is asking you and me the same question today: Do you want to get well? Do you want to be healed? Made whole?

Maybe you’re stuck. Maybe you’re paralyzed in sin, in fear, in shame, or something else.

You cannot imagine another reality than the one you’re currently living. It may not be ideal, but at least your current surroundings are somewhat comfortable and certainly familiar.

Well, I want to remind you right now that Jesus has MORE in store for you — beyond what you can imagine.

He is pursuing you. He wants to take you to a new place. And on the other side of your willingness is influence.

Because it’s not just about you. It’s also about the people you have the potential to influence because of your healing — family, friends, strangers, neighbors, the next generation.

I love what David writes about God:

He brought me out into a spacious place;
    he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Psalm 18:19

This spacious place is an area where you have much FREEDOM to move within God’s boundaries. And God wants to take you there. He wants to bring abundant life. Why? Because he delights in you. The word delight indicates an intimate knowing and love.

The gospel of John is named after its author, one of the 12 men Jesus chose to share his life with. John refers to himself a few times in his book as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”

I don’t think John’s being arrogant. Rather, it was the truest thing about John and what he chose to focus on. John had an intimate identification with the Savior’s love for him.

All of us face daily pressure to define ourselves in countless ways: job titles, achievements, mistakes, weight, salary, marital status, motherhood, etc.

But Jesus is inviting you to more. He wants you to be healed and whole and secure in your truest identity.

It’s an open invitation. He’s waiting. He’s patient. And he’s faithful.

So how do you get there? I think it starts with willingness. You can turn toward him, believing and accepting that he knows you and loves you right where you are.

It also means moving out of “comfort,” acknowledging your need for a Savior, and acting in obedience so you can experience all he has for you.

The Holy Writings say, “No eye has ever seen or no ear has ever heard or no mind has ever thought of the wonderful things God has made ready for those who love Him.”

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)


Phew. This was a long one. Thanks for sticking with me. If you’re still reading this and you want a next step, I created a three-day email challenge that gives some simple yet powerful steps to draw near to God. Sign up via the form below.

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Previous Post: « Finishing Strong
Next Post: A Satisfying Life: 2 Truths to Fight the Lies »

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Comments

  1. Lydia says

    October 14, 2019 at 6:22 AM

    You are such a talented writer, thanks for sharing your gift with all of us! I’m excited to read more! I love when you said “willingness leads to influence”‘that’s such a great way to think about willingness and healing and following God. Influence because of what each of us had been through helps point others to Christ.

    Reply

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Meet Chelsea

I’m so happy you’re here. I created this space for you and me to move beyond casual faith ... to see our lives changed from passive to passionate. Read more of my story…

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@chelscbailey

Instagram post 2162578938021727106_13441962 {NEW BLOG} A Satisfying Life: 2 Truths to Fight the Lies

Our consumer culture feeds into our appetites. Our social media feeds fuel our bent toward comparison.

We’re sold lies that tell us what we have, and who we are, is somehow incomplete. That we must add what we don’t yet have.

What’s that thing for you right now?

On the blog, I share the narrative that’s been nagging me — and the true source of satisfaction.

Follow the link in my profile.💙
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#theheartbeatblog #shareyourstories #christianblogger #writersofinstagram #infertility #Jesusovereverything #Biblestudy #Colossians
Instagram post 2150896431639543777_13441962 I believe in the power of prayer and community. So, friends, I need your help. I’m having surgery this week. Would you pray?

I’ve been going to Saint Paul VI Institute here in Omaha since January and am so thankful for the work they do to help women and couples pursue health and life.

But I’m even more thankful for the work God has done in my heart. He has me on a healing journey, and I give him all the glory. 
He is good and faithful however he chooses to heal. It’s not so much about the outcome as it is about the One who is the way.
—
As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
Psalm 18:30
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👩‍💻Also, speaking of healing, I published a new blog post 👉 Do you want to be healed? I believe there’s an invitation in there for you.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support.
💙Chelsea

#shareyourstories #infertility #naprotechnology #hope #healing #powerofprayer #enjoythejourney #theheartbeatblog
Instagram post 2149451023377595436_13441962 As I’ve been navigating change in my career and life this last year, here’s what I’m learning:

adventure > a linear path
rich life experience > fancy job title
character > comfort
risk > routine
abundance > excess
inward growth > outward success
faith > fear
failure > never trying
wandering > wondering “what if?”
Jesus > everything

Don’t be afraid to take some chances, be open to opportunities, and pay attention to what you feel drawn to. It won’t always be easy or make sense, but it’s worth it. And at the very least, you’ll have an interesting story to share.☺️ What have you been learning lately?

#shareyourstories #faith #makeamove #livecreatively #latergram📷
Instagram post 2143057043429654183_13441962 Your current circumstances are not a coincidence. Your city, your life experience, your relationships — they’re full of purpose and possibilities.

Yet how often do we question, compare, or even resent our place or the people around us? We play the “If only…” or “I’ll never be able to…” or “Once [fill in the blank] happens, then…” games.

I spent years settling, staying quiet, and fighting imposter syndrome … until I started believing I’m part of a much bigger story.

That’s why I’m so fired up about the message in this book: YOU ARE THE GIRL FOR THE JOB.

Because when you start to see that God has a call on your life (flaws and all) — and actually act on it (with his grace and power) — your circumstances will suddenly look different. And a change in perspective is all it takes to unlock a movement that can change the world. 💙

#yatgftjgiveaway #shareyourstories #theheartbeatblog
Instagram post 2134941493587477509_13441962 This place is so stunningly beautiful.

When we arrived and I saw the sparkling water, it made me want to cry (happy tears, of course 😅). I’m just in awe of God’s greatness and creativity on display in every single detail—from the soft squeaky sand to the cotton candy sunsets.

It makes me wonder what I miss when I’m in my more familiar surroundings. Because whether I’m on a beach vacation or my backyard patio, his beauty is always on display.

Sometimes it takes a temporary location change to remind me I can live with this same wonder, wherever ... if I simply take time to notice.

Maybe this reminder is for you, too? Let’s ask him to give us fresh perspective to see our usual scenery differently.

#beachhappy #30A #florida #thankful
Instagram post 2129156494208689146_13441962 Believe it or not, boundaries bring clarity and creativity. Many times we think we need MORE ... money, time, talent, etc.

But boundaries are a blessing. And the truth is that God gives us everything we need to do what he’s called us to do.

God provides by what he gives AND what he withholds.

So if you’re feeling stuck, like there’s not enough, like you’re not enough, I hope this truth comforts you as much as it did me today: “You have not given me into the hands of the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.” —Psalm 31:8 (see also Psalm 118:5)

God has given you much FREEDOM to move within his boundaries. So ask the Lord to bring you into a spacious place. I bet he will delight in answering that prayer. 💙
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#theheartbeatblog #spaciousplace #freedom
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