Reading Plan:
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
Spiritual Healing
Author: Angie Gates
Do we live our lives with the viewpoint that everything we do truly affects someone else? Would you agree that most of the time we make decisions without any thought given to the impact they will have on others? We are so conditioned to think of ourselves in this culture that it becomes hard to live with a mindset of putting others first.
Our culture doesn’t show you the end result of this selfishness we acquire. We don’t see the effects of serving only ourselves, and we certainly aren’t aware of the impact we have on others because of our selfishness.
How would our lives change if we lived as if it were our job to serve others in whatever capacity we can? 1 Corinthians 12 shows us how God so intricately designed our bodies to be a beautiful picture of the purpose we are meant to live. Think about this design as you read the following insight from a commentary by David Guzik.
“The parts of the body work together. The eyes and ears do not only serve themselves but the whole body. The hands do not only feed and defend themselves but the whole body. The heart does not only supply blood to itself but serves the whole body. Sometimes there is a part of our body that only lives to serve itself. It doesn’t contribute anything to the rest of the body, and everything it gets is used to feed and grow itself. We call this cancer.”
Nothing we do stops with us! Let’s carefully examine each of these areas in our own life. How are your eyes and ears serving the whole body of Christ today? How are your hands feeding and defending the whole body of Christ today? How is your heart serving the whole body of Christ today? When I truly start analyzing how I function within the body of Christ, a bright light shines on the cancer of selfishness in my life.
Think about when you get sick. Any sickness is a result of something in your body not functioning as it was created to. We go to the doctor in search of healing, and sometimes they prescribe medication or a modified diet and exercise, and at times they refer us to a specialist for more detailed screening to determine the problem. The end goal is always to return the body to its original healthy state. Why is our spiritual health any different? Anytime we are not functioning within the body of Christ by using our gifts, talents, and abilities, we are spiritually sick. It’s just as important to go to the great Physician, Jesus, for an examination and treatment of our heart and mind. Sometimes the healing is a quick fix, however other treatment plans may involve a much deeper screening to find the root of our problems and often a painful procedure of surgery to remove the infection. One thing is certain with this process - if you follow his directions exactly as prescribed, He will restore you to a new, better version of our old sinful nature that radiates the love and power found only in Jesus Christ through his Holy Spirit. We've received a total transformation of the heart that leaves us in awe of who HE is!
Reflection & Response:
- What are some ways you can use your gifts to serve others this week?
- Think through the actions and decisions you made over the past three days. How many people were directly and indirectly affected by your choices?
HAVE KIDS?
Use the content below to dive deeper into the Bible Reading Plan with your family.
Family Application: We All Have a Role To Play
- 1 and 2 Corinthians were both written by Paul as letters to the people who lived in a city called Corinth. The city of Corinth still exists in the country of Greece today. Paul is helping the people of Corinth learn to work together as one community of believers.
- Paul is comparing two things. Sometimes we compare things to help people understand something. A lion is like a really big cat. When there is a storm outside and the clouds have made it dark, you may say that it’s dark as the night. You may explain that using an iPad is just like using a bigger iPhone. These things aren’t the same, but you can compare two things to make a point. Paul is comparing how people should work together as a community to how a body has many different parts that all work together.
- There are many different parts of the body that do different types of jobs. The body is at its best when all the parts work together. How can we use our individual gifts and talents to invest in the community?
- Prayer: God, you are so wonderful! Thank you for making every person different and giving them a way to show your love to the world! God, help me to use my gifts to glorify you and love the world around me. Amen.