Inconvenienced by God
There was a man who had been tormented by demons most of his life. Maybe he had been the victim of physical or sexual abuse as a child. Maybe he had been exposed to dark, demonic activity as a teenager. Whatever his background, we know that the man who encountered Jesus at the cemetery in the region of the Gerasenes one day had a troubling past that had completely taken him over. His mind, body and soul were controlled by many demons and he had lost complete control.
Jesus saw beyond the disturbing outward appearance and erratic behavior of this man, and saw a hurting soul who needed deliverance. He commanded the legion of demons to leave the man's body and go into a herd of 2,000 pigs. The pigs went crazy and plunged down a hillside into a lake and drowned. The herdsmen were furious. They lost their livelihood and ran to nearby towns telling everyone of the man named Jesus who had destroyed their lives. They didn't think about the life that was saved. All they thought of was how their lives had been destroyed financially and they were scared by this Man of Power. "And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone" (Mark 5:17 NLT).
After reading this story, I asked myself: If I had been there that day, would I have been more concerned about property and safety or about the spiritual deliverance of a man who had been tormented for years? Would I have asked Jesus to leave after seeing such supernatural power displayed or would I have dropped what I was doing and followed Him?
Bringing this to present day, how do I react when someone else's needs require more time than I want to give? Does it inconvenience me? Am I prepared to be sidetracked by other people or events so I can witness something extraordinary that I can't explain?
Honestly, I commonly pray for miracles daily, but do I have a tinge of fear and lack of faith because I'm afraid of the supernatural? If I prayed more audacious, full-faith prayers, would it require me to abandon bad habits, material security or relationships that are hindering me from experiencing the fullness of God's power in my life?
I am afraid of God's power. It heals bodies, raises the dead, destroys darkness, casts out demons, controls the wind and waves, and keeps everything in our universe in order. God's power is so great we cannot fully comprehend it and our hearts should tremble in fear at the awesomeness of what His power can do. But, I believe we should never let it hold us back from seeking healing and fullness in our own lives or the lives of others. For His great power is coupled with a love that cannot be explained. There is no greater combination of love and power.
So, what will you do the next time God wants you to pray a radical prayer or sacrifice something in your life to see another person healed and transformed? Will you back away in fear or ask God to give you courage to be inconvenienced by Him to see the supernatural take place in our world?
The man who was healed from demon possession went home that day, told his family what Jesus had done and spread the good news of Jesus' great power and love to every town he could visit. Some didn't believe his story, but many believed and put their faith in a supernatural God.
