Walking Again: How to Live After the Breaking

There comes a point in every healing journey when we must decide to move forward, not to forget the past, not to pretend we were never hurt, but to rise and begin walking again. The pain that once immobilized us does not have to define what comes next.

In John 5, we read the story of a man who had been unable to walk for 38 years. When Jesus encountered him, He asked a question that may seem surprising: “Do you want to be healed?” It was not a question of ability. It was a question of desire. Was the man ready to live again? To walk again? To re-enter life as someone made whole?

The same question comes to us. After the heartbreak, after the healing begins, are we ready to get up and walk again?

“Jesus said to him, ‘Get up, take up your bed, and walk.’”
—John 5:8 (ESV)

Healing leads us to wholeness, but wholeness calls us to walk forward in faith.

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Big Idea 1: Healing is a Process, Not a Pause

Many people see healing as the end of something painful, but it is often the beginning of something new. Healing is not just a moment of relief. It is a journey of transformation. God does not heal us only to bring comfort. He heals us so we can walk with new confidence, renewed purpose, and deeper trust in His plans.

When Jesus healed the man at the pool, He did not tell him to sit and reflect on what had happened. He gave clear instructions: get up and walk. That command was not just about movement. It was about embracing a new season. Healing invited change. It marked a transition from survival to significance.

In the same way, our healing should produce action. It should stir up new dreams and reignite old ones. It should inspire us to obey God in fresh ways and believe again for what once seemed impossible. Healing is not the final stop. It is the on-ramp to a life of deeper surrender and fuller purpose.

Healing is a precious gift, but it also becomes a divine call. God does not want us to stay stuck in what hurts us, and He does not want our identity to remain tied to our wounds. He wants us to rise, grow, and move into the restoration and renewal He has prepared. Each step we take after healing is a testimony that we serve a God who makes all things new.

Big Idea 2: There Is Life After Brokenness

Sometimes we wonder if our best days are behind us. After seasons of intense grief, trauma, or personal failure, it can feel safer to remain where we are than to risk stepping into something new. Pain creates a false sense of safety in our sorrow. We learn how to survive, but we forget how to live.

When life has broken us, staying on the ground can seem easier than risking standing up again. We may even begin to believe that we are permanently disqualified from joy, purpose, or restoration. But Jesus does not speak healing so that we can remain still. He speaks it so we can rise, walk, and experience the fullness of life again.

The man in John 5 had grown used to his place by the pool. It was familiar, even though it was painful. His routine was marked by waiting and hoping, but not by movement. Jesus’ words disrupted that comfort zone, calling him into something unknown but filled with possibility. The healing came with a challenge: leave the old behind and walk into something new.

God is calling you, too. There is life after grief. There is a purpose after trauma and joy after sorrow. You may still carry scars, but those scars do not mean you are broken beyond use. They mean you have survived. And you do not walk alone. You walk with the presence of the Healer, who not only heals but also leads you into restoration, strength, and renewed hope.

Big Idea 3: Walking Again Requires Faith

Jesus told the man, “Get up.” Those three words were not just a command. They were an invitation into a life the man had never known. That moment required faith: to believe that healing was not just a distant hope but a present reality, faith to trust that the power of Jesus had truly changed him, even though his legs had not moved in decades.

The man had to act before he felt strong, stand before he knew he could walk, and take that first step. It was not just physical; it was spiritual. It was a declaration that he believed Jesus was who He said He was.

You may find yourself in a similar place now. God has been healing your heart. You have sensed His presence and seen Him at work. But stepping into something new still feels shaky. The path ahead may be unclear. The wounds may not be entirely gone. But walking again will always require faith. Faith that God will steady your feet, light your path, and walk beside you every step of the way.

Faith is not the absence of fear. It is the choice to trust God more than you trust your fear. You do not need to figure out every detail or feel completely ready. You need to respond to His voice. Say yes. Take the first step. And know that God meets those who move forward in faith.

Conclusion

Jesus still speaks to those who feel stuck, weary, or afraid. His call is not harsh or impatient. It is filled with grace and truth: Get up. Take your next step. Live again. The bed of brokenness may have been your place of survival, your temporary shelter during the storm, but it is not your final destination. You were not made to remain in that space. You were made to rise, to move forward, and to walk in wholeness.

Healing is not the end of your story. It begins a new chapter of purpose, courage, and fresh obedience. If God has started healing your heart, do not stay in the waiting room of fear or doubt. Rise with confidence in His voice. Take hold of His promise even if your steps feel shaky. Let Him lead you, one day at a time, into the fullness of life He has prepared for you.

You are not only healed to be comforted, you are healed so that you can carry hope. You are healed to witness God’s grace, walk boldly into your purpose, and become a living testimony that brokenness does not have the final word; Jesus does.

Action Step

What step of faith is God asking you to take today? Identify one small action that moves you forward—emotionally, spiritually, or relationally—and take it with courage.

“Healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives.” —Unknown

Prayer

Jesus, thank You for meeting me in my brokenness and for the healing You have begun. Now, give me the faith to rise, to walk, and to live again. I trust you to guide my steps and carry me when I feel weak. Lead me forward into all You have prepared for me. In Your name, Amen.

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Have you started walking again after a difficult season? Share your experience in the comments to encourage others.
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If this post encouraged you, pass it on to someone who needs a nudge toward walking again.

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It begins with Christ!

If you don’t know Christ as your savior, it begins with the first step. Believe in Him and make Him Lord of your life! Committing your life to serve Him is the most significant decision! For more information on serving the Lord, CLICK HERE!

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Blessings,

Chad 

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