“Do You Want to Be Made Well?” — John 5:1–15

Scripture Focus:

“When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’”
— John 5:6 (NKJV)

💭 Do You Really Want to Be Made Well?

Imagine being stuck in the same struggle for 38 years — physically, mentally, emotionally — and then Jesus Himself stands before you and asks, “Do you want to be made well?”

That question seems strange at first… almost offensive. But it’s the kind of question that cuts through the surface and gets straight to the heart.

And what was the man’s response?

“Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up…” (v7)

Not a "Yes, Lord!"
Not a "Please heal me!"
Instead — an excuse. A valid one, perhaps. But still an excuse.

How many of us say we’re ready for change, but when the moment comes — we stall, we point to our obstacles, we wait for someone else to do what God has already empowered us to do by faith?

Jesus didn’t ask the man why he hadn’t been healed. He asked if he wanted to be. That’s the difference.

🔍 Reflection: Excuses vs. Expectation

The man was looking at the method (the stirred water)…
Jesus was offering the Miracle.

Sometimes we’re so conditioned by defeat, routine, and religious thinking that we can’t see when God is offering a new way forward.

And when Jesus did heal him — instantly — the very people who should’ve celebrated him… rebuked him. Why? Because it was the Sabbath.

Legalism hates liberty.
Tradition fights transformation.
Religion without relationship misses the move of God.

🕊 The Deeper Healing: “Sin No More”

Later, Jesus found the healed man in the temple and gave him a sobering warning:

“See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.” (v14)

This wasn’t just about a body being healed — it was about a life being redirected.

Jesus was essentially saying: “Don’t go back to what broke you.”

Not every illness or struggle is tied to personal sin, but this moment makes it clear: healing is not the end of the story — holiness is.

Jesus doesn’t just remove our suffering; He calls us to live differently.
Not in fear. But in freedom.
Because sin always brings a cost that’s heavier than we want to pay.

🧎🏽‍♀️ Personal Reflection

Is there an area in your life where you've been stuck — spiritually, emotionally, physically — for too long?

Are you waiting for the “pool to stir,” or are you ready to respond when Jesus says, “Rise, take up your bed, and walk”?

And after He lifts you… will you walk differently?

✍🏽 Journal Prompts

• Where in my life have I made excuses instead of embracing healing or change?

• Am I more focused on how God moves than that He moves?

• What does “sin no more” mean for my walk today?

• Is there anything in my life that God has healed, but I’m tempted to return to?

🙏🏽 A Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus,
Forgive me for the times I’ve let excuses keep me from Your healing touch.
Help me to recognize when You are calling me to rise — even if it doesn’t look how I expected.
And once You lift me, teach me how to walk in holiness.
Keep me from returning to what You set me free from.
I don’t want just relief — I want transformation.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.