When an ailment stays more than necessary, it is considered a protracted illness.

In John 5:1-6, we saw the case of a protracted illness:1: After this there was a feast of the Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.2: Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches.3: In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.4: For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. 5: And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.6: When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, wilt thou be made whole?”

How To Be Healed?
God delivered His people out of the land of Egypt. Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur for three days and found no drinking water. There were at least 600,000 people without water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, because the taste was bitter. So the people grumbled at Moses, saying: “What shall we drink?” Moses cried out to the Lord, and “the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them. And He said: ‘If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer'” (Exodus 15:22-26,). “I the Lord God am your healer,” ‘Jehovah Rofekha’, is the Lord who restores, heals, cures. The Lord your God heals. The Lord is the physician. Everyman is in need of healing. In Isaiah 1:5-6, we saw a picture of decay and rottenness. “The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head there is nothing sound in it, only bruises, welts and raw wounds, not pressed out or bandaged, nor softened with oil,” (Isaiah 1:5-6).

To Paul the affliction is momentary: “For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal,”(2 Cor. 4:17-18). The Psalmist understood the sovereign ability when he pleaded for the Lord to heal his depression and the physical effects of it in Psalm 6:2. “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am pining away; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed.”God’s healing can affect the soul, the spirit and the body. “As for me, I said, ‘O Lord, be gracious to me; Heal my soul, for I have sinned against You,'” (Psalm 41:4).

When We Are Despairing, Know That
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit,” (Psalm 34:18).

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds,” (Psalm 147:3).
The emphasis in the Psalms is on the physical, emotional and spiritual healing.
God can permit our exposure to certain habits and behaviour to be rewarded with some level of health hazards:
• Holding grudges and lack of forgiveness
• Immorality
• Drunkenness
• Infidelity
• Bitterness
Habits like this and more can bring God’s righteous Judgment. God is merciful, and the Lord brings healing after judgment. “The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day the Lord binds up the fracture of His people and heals the bruise He has inflicted,”(Isaiah 30:26); cf. Egypt in Isa. 19:22). Isaiah even speaks of “the day when no resident will say: ‘I am sick’; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity,” (Isa. 33:24). There is healing in His wings.

After describing the depravity of the human heart in Jeremiah 17:9, the prophet went on to write: “A glorious throne on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, because they have forsaken the fountain of living water, even the Lord. Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are my praise,” (Jeremiah 17:12-14).

Jeremiah lamented in Jer. 8:22: “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has not the health of the daughter of my people been restored?” (Jer. 8:22). The “balm” was a resin derived from a special tree, which grew in Gilead. It was known for its healing properties. It was a precious resin extract, which was produced 50 or 60 drops a day from the tree. It was a very costly method that possessed marvelous curative properties. It cleansed, soothed and healed. God can heal when we submit to His power and supremacy.

The Power Of Forgiveness For A Hurting Soul
Psychologist say: “Forgiveness is a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance towards a person or group who has harmed you (…. Or your family or friends), regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness.” Forgiveness as an important part of relationship is more beneficial to the offended than the offender.

1. True Meaning Of Forgiveness
In some ways, it is easier to understand forgiveness by talking about what it isn’t. Forgiveness does not mean condoning what the person did, or that it would be okay for them to do it again.

It does not mean denying our own feelings of hurt, or that there should not be consequences for the offending person. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting that something painful happened.

Forgiveness means letting go of resentments that keep us tied to the wrong committed against us. It means to heal and move forward with life without allowing anger, hurt or unproductive rumination to waste too much of our mental or emotional energy. In this respect, forgiveness is as much (or more) for ourselves as it is for the other person or people.

2. Forgive And Get Healing
In recent years, significant research has looked into the concept of forgiveness and how it affects our health, both physical and emotional. The growing body of evidence indicates that forgiveness carries many potential health benefits, including lower blood pressure and heart rate, fewer episodes of depression and anxiety symptoms, improved function of the immune system, and lower risk of substance abuse and a reduction in chronic pain. Forgiveness tends to support healthier relationships and an improved sense of wellbeing. Forgiveness is not just about saying the words. “It is an active process in which you make a conscious decision to let go of negative feelings whether the person deserves it or not,” when you release the anger, resentment and hostility, you begin to feel understanding, responsiveness, compassion and sometimes even affection for the person who wronged you.

3. Let Go Of The Bitterness
Sometimes what we are killing for could be very insignificant than we ever imagined. So much resentment could erupt by poor communication, misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Forgiveness is not always easy. It is easier, sometimes, to think: “I am right; so, why should I forgive you?” So, we often may need to make a conscious decision to forgive and be willing to give our ear to the other person’s opinion.

Most times, it is misinformation from sycophants that gave us the injury, which led to the bitterness. We may have even rushed into conclusion and taken action without consideration of opinions.

There is no right way or wrong way to approach forgiveness. The act of forgiving is not necessarily a single event, but rather a process that takes time. Moving toward forgiveness can free us from the burden of anger, resentment and hurt that can push other people away. It can make us happier people. People who fail to forgive may think they are moving forward when they are actually going in a circle. Are you hurting today and emotionally sick, let go of the bitterness and resent? What you failed to forgive could hurt the generation now and future; why beat war drum for the unborn future? Bitterness and grudges are not treasures to bequeath your generation.

• Ven. Stephen Wolemonwu is the Rector, Ibru Ecumenical Centre, 08035413812