asbc seek devotionals 2025 2 - Flipbook - Page 70
DEVOTIONAL JOURNAL | ALFRED STREET BAPTIST CHURCH
Day 33: In All
Honesty
MIN. JESSICA ANDERSON
“When Jesus saw him lying there, knowing that he had already been there a long time, he asked him, “Do
you want to get well?”
– John 5:6 CEB
In 1995, I was in elementary school belting, “eleven years of sacrifice,” from Mary J.
Blige’s iconic song, “Not Gon’ Cry.” I didn’t know what it was about, but I felt it! There
is something about being somewhere “too long” that we all can relate to. For 38 years,
this man had been walked over and rejected, and here Jesus comes asking silly questions.
Maybe Jesus knows that what is between us and healing, is a question. Maybe Jesus asks a
question because loving yourself requires being honest.
This healing wasn’t just about walking, it was about getting back up after 38 years
of loneliness, failure, and pain. His truth didn’t disqualify him from love; in fact, it
equipped him for it. Because Jesus loved him in his most honest form, he knew he could
love himself when he was later questioned. God is capable of loving you in every season
and every iteration, so be honest.
JOURNAL
REFLECTIONS
What truth can you bring to God? How can
you affirm God’s love for you today?
70
PRAYER
God, I trust you to meet me where I am, but sometimes
I get insecure. Build my confidence in your love. Amen.
