Wednesday, May 20

"Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you." And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed.
—Mark 5:19-20

This was a man "possessed of demons;" that is, inner forces tormented him. He was thought by others to be mad and to be evil. He not only screamed and ranted, he roamed unpredictably and bruised himself with stones.

People did not know what to do about him or how to deal with him. Jesus came to him and exorcised the bad spirits from within the man, and freed him from that which had plagued him for years.

This sounds like something from long ago that couldn’t happen
today. But, of course, it happens all the time. The story of this
man’s suffering can describe patients in a psychiatric ward, or
those who suffer from sleeplessness and lie awake tortured by
thoughts of past events or fears of future ones.

The story can also describe just plain everyday folks like you and me, when we are restless, impatient, driven by needs and desires that are not even of our own choosing.

Jesus can help. Once we know that we want or need help, we need only ask for it. There are many ways to ask for help: prayer, talking to a friend, or seeking professional counsel. It is not easy to admit to ourselves, let alone others, that we are in need.

But Jesus tells us that it is not weakness to seek help—it takes
strength and it is a sign of faith and hope. Help is always there, because Jesus is always there.

Jesus, come heal my spirit and make me whole. Amen.

This Signpost originally appeared on explorefaith in 2007.