"I must have hidden sin causing this sickness—I need to figure out what I did wrong."
How it sounds in your head: There must be a reason God allowed this. Maybe unforgiveness I haven't dealt with? That harsh word to my daughter last month? Not praying enough? If I could just identify the sin blocking my healing, I could repent and get better. God must be trying to teach me something through this suffering.
"And His disciples asked Him, saying, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.'"
-- John 9:2-3Source: Religion's toxic karma theology that makes every sickness punishment, Job's friends' condemning accusations, performance-based Old Covenant thinking imported into New Covenant grace.
Christian culture constantly connects suffering to hidden sin—she's heard sermons about 'unconfessed sin blocking blessings' her whole life. When inexplicable bad things happen, blaming herself at least gives her something she can theoretically control.
This man was a career criminal being executed for his crimes—literally dying as punishment for sin. He had ZERO time to make anything right, change any behavior, or confess every sin. Jesus gave him PARADISE based on one moment of faith, not a cleaned-up life. Instant salvation with no prerequisites.
I REFUSE the lie that my sickness is punishment for hidden sin I need to uncover. IT IS WRITTEN there is NO CONDEMNATION for those in Christ Jesus—NONE means NONE. The blood of Jesus didn't miss anything; I am not a detective in my own trial. IT IS WRITTEN in Colossians 2:13-14 that God 'wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us...having nailed it to the cross.' Every sin—past, present, future, remembered or forgotten—was nailed to that cross. I am Abraham's seed under BARAK blessing that operated when Abraham LIED TWICE—behavior didn't stop blessing then, and it doesn't now. God isn't withholding healing until I perform spiritual archaeology on my past. I receive health as a GIFT, not a reward, RIGHT NOW. I am HEALED by His stripes, not qualified by my perfection.
The Father didn't hand the prodigal son a list of sins to confess and amends to make—He ran toward him while he still SMELLED LIKE PIGS and threw a party. Your healing isn't waiting for your confession; it's waiting for your RECEPTION.