Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

Can you think of a time when you were like Bartimaeus?

Picture this – you’re in the middle of hardship. You just received devastating news. You are disappointed beyond belief. You feel betrayed and forgotten. You feel unseen.

You walk into church and your spirit cries out, “Jesus, have mercy on me!”

You need to know He sees you - that He is aware of your pain. You long to find peace and comfort and you know He can provide both.

But what happens when the Holy Spirit speaks to you? What is your response?

Do you panic a little and pretend you don’t hear it? Are you so low that you can’t bring yourself to acknowledge He may be stepping into your pain? Have you made an idol of your situation and you’d rather be miserable than accept His outstretched hand?

Bartimaeus heard Jesus and he answered simply, “I want to see.”

Jesus didn’t ask a follow-up question. He didn’t say, “See how, Bartimaeus? Do you want physical sight or spiritual sight?”

Obviously, Bartimaeus was physically blind. But what Jesus provided was so much more. He healed the physical need, and then he heaped on the spiritual blessing. He gave physical sight AND spiritual sight.

Remember this – God’s provisions and miracles are never the bare minimum acknowledgments of our needs. God is an abundant God, a "more than you could ask for or imagine" kind of God. There is always more He wants for you – to see, to enjoy, and to experience life in Him!

May we all take a lesson from Bartimaeus. Let’s tell Jesus what we want. And then, let’s not be surprised when our faith is restored in the process. Instead, let’s live our lives in a way that brings Him the glory, praise, and honor He is worthy to receive.

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.