Mark 8:22-26 records the story of the Blind man in Bethsaida who was healed. Take a moment to read through the passage carefully before you continue reading.

And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

The Blind Man of Bethsaida

First, notice that the crowd simply wanted Jesus to touch the blind man (of course, they had witnessed miracles of others who had touched Jesus and been healed instantly) and Jesus did touch him. But his touch was not one of healing. Instead, Jesus took him by the hand and led him out of the town and away from the people who had brought him. Your first step of healing may be the removal of bad relationships from your life. In fact, if you pause to reflect, you may be able to point back to a relationship (friend, coworker, relative, etc.) you lost recently that drastically affected your  process of healing and growth. Sometimes the ones who see you as broken are the same ones keeping you from being mended. Take some time to pause and pray now asking Jesus to reveal where a relationship is standing as a roadblock to your next level of healing.

Second, notice Jesus didn’t heal the man in one action. The truth is, you likely have more growth and healing ahead in your future. While you may not have experienced any physical healing, mental and spiritual healing are just as legitimate and often require that same slow process of healing and adjustment. We won’t reach perfection until we get to heaven, but thankfully we can enjoy a measure of that healing here on earth too. Thank God for His grace as well as your progress, and ask Him to bring you into the next level of your healing journey. (Exodus 2:23-25)

Third, notice that Jesus’ process of healing seemed strange but was deeply personalized. Jesus knew exactly what this blind man needed to experience true deliverance from his infirmity. His journey didn’t look like others’, but it would have been wrong for him to judge the miracle of what happened based on the miracle God did in another’s life. 

Finally, notice that Jesus explicitly sent him to his home, and told him to avoid the town and those in it. Learning that not everyone is rooting for you can feel depressing, but unfortunately true for many of us. Some would rather you were never healed: your process of growth exposes areas of their own life where they are complacent and that is uncomfortable. Let God guide you in your journey as you determine by the Holy Spirit’s leading who is truly your friend and cares for your well-being. 

What stood out to you most about this miracle? Comment below about how God spoke to you!