Spiritual Benefits Package

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: 3 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, 4 Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

--Psalm 103:2-5 NKJV

In the days of ancient Israel, the new priesthood was given instructions for how to conduct animal sacrifices upon an altar. These sacrifices served to paint a bloody picture of the heart agony which occurs when we wrong and dishonor each other and God in relationally unhealthy ways. The result of the sacrificial animal sacrifice was for us to see a picture of forgiveness, reconciliation, and relational mending with God and each other as that innocent animal vulnerably poured out its blood (from the heart) and gave up its life.

This sacrifice was termed as an “atonement,” which is also literally rendered “covering.” Thousands of years later, as hundreds of Jewish prophecies foretold in amazingly specific and accurate detail, the Messiah came as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” [John 1:29] The blood of Jesus “covers” those who give their allegiance to Him in surrender, trust, and submission to His leadership.

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of deep sorrows who was no stranger to suffering and grief. We hid our faces from him in disgust and considered him a nobody, not worthy of respect. 4 Yet he was the one who carried our sicknesses and endured the torment of our sufferings. We viewed him as one who was being punished for something he himself had done, as one who was struck down by God and brought low. 5 But it was because of our rebellious deeds that he was pierced and because of our sins that he was crushed. He endured the punishment that made us completely whole, and in his wounding we found our healing. 6 Like wayward sheep, we have all wandered astray. Each of us has turned from God’s paths and chosen our own way; even so, Yahweh laid the guilt of our every sin upon him.”

--Isaiah 53:3-6 TPT

In an employee's benefits package, there are certain blessings and provisions available for that employee. A benefits package may include health insurance which “covers” for medical expenses, vision care expenses, dental care expenses, etc. Psalm 103:2-3 says to not forget all the Lord’s benefits, which are then listed out. What is “covered” in the atonement? What are the benefits made available to us because of the price that Jesus paid for us? What is included in our spiritual “benefits package”? In verse 3, the Lord “forgives all your iniquity and heals all your diseases.”

Now here’s some food for thought. Is it possible for an employee to have a benefits package, but to not take full advantage of what is made available to him through that benefits package? Recently I left one job in order to transition to another. In my previous job, my benefits package included health insurance, vision care, dental care, etc. Other benefits of the health care package included three free counseling sessions per year.

Just because I had full access to all these benefits, does that mean that I took advantage of all these benefits, so that they could be applied to my life in a practical way? No, for although I could have appropriated those benefits by confidently taking action to do so, for various reasons I did not always take advantage of those benefits. For example, I never scheduled a free counseling session, even though that benefit was available to me. Does this mean that the free counseling sessions were not covered in the benefits package?

Somebody like me may not have set up a counseling appointment even though that benefit was provided for them for the following hypothetical reasons:

• It could be that an employee simply might not see their need for the benefit enough to step out in action by booking an appointment. For instance, perhaps even a little bit of pride could keep one from joyfully and humbly checking out that counseling option. “I’m doing just fine psychologically, so I don’t think it would be worth it for me to schedule an appointment. I don’t need to use that benefit, because I trust that the other resources in my life (YouTube videos, pastors, family, community, friends, my personal relationship with God) are sufficient to give me all the counseling, nurture, and direction I need.”

• Maybe anxiety, worry, or the fear of man would prevent one from taking advantage of that benefit: “What if those counselors judge me and think I’m a weirdo for coming for counseling? What if I don’t know what to say, what to share, or what problem I want to process through with them? That makes me a little anxious or uncomfortable, so I think I might as well just forget about it.”

• Maybe passivity or procrastination could keep one from taking advantage of the benefit(s): “I’m sure that I could benefit from a counseling session, dental appointment, or vision appointment, but I’m doing just fine without any of those things at this time. Right now I’d rather focus on other activities and get some more rest, so I don’t want to go out of my way to set up an appointment, because I’m just too busy. Besides, to book an appointment, then I might have to communicate with my supervisor, leave work early...and that just sounds like too much of a hassle for me, since I don’t want to inconvenience my supervisor in that way...”

• Maybe unbelief might cause one to not make a “withdrawal” from that benefits package. “That sounds a little too good to be true. There’s got to be a catch somewhere. Is a dental checkup really completely free? (Not even a co-pay)? What if my previous dental provider isn’t included in the network of my new benefits package? Nah, it’s probably not worth it for me to dig into any further. I don’t want to end up disappointed in case it really isn’t covered in my situation…”

In the same way that those negative emotions and mindsets like pride, anxiety, worry, fear of man, passivity, procrastination, and unbelief can prevent one from taking advantage of their employee benefits package, could those same negative emotional mindsets hinder us from appropriating God’s “benefits package” that He provided for us freely through the sacrifice of Jesus? The Bible says that faith without works is dead (see James 2:14-26). Just because an employee may trust and agree intellectually that the benefits package is legitimate and that those benefits are available for the taking, procrastination, pride, anxiety, or some other struggle may still keep that employee from taking action by booking an appointment and actually going to the counseling session or dental appointment.

In the same way, just because Jesus took thirty-nine lashes upon his back for our physical healing, we might not take advantage of that healing available to us because pride, anxiety, worry, fear of man, passivity, procrastination, and unbelief still have a stronghold in our hearts and mindsets. These “works of the flesh” are keeping us sick by dumping excess cortisol or other hormones into our bloodstreams and compromising our immune system.

The good news is that when we truly enter into a greater depth of realization and experience of what Jesus did for us at the Roman whipping post, the cross, his burial, his resurrection from the dead, and ascension into heaven to receive incomprehensible honor from His Father, it does wonders to remove any lingering pride, anxiety, worry, fear of man, passivity, procrastination, and unbelief. That is what God is inviting us further and deeper into everyday in our relationship with Him. As we receive His love, being kind and patient with ourselves in the process and journey of learning to love Him and others as we love ourselves, then the truth will make us more and more free. [John 8:31-32]

Prayer:

Daddy, thank You for everything. I’m so grateful that You love me with the same love with which You love Jesus, and that Jesus loves me with the same love with which He loves You [John 17:23; 15:9]. Thank You for your amazing “spiritual benefits package,” with which You have blessed me. You blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in my relational connection with Christ Jesus [Ephesians 1:3]. As I grow rooted and grounded in Your love, I thank You for pruning off my life any lingering traces of pride, anxiety, worry, fear of man, passivity, procrastination, and unbelief that are hindering the growth and expression of love for You and towards the people around me. [Ephesians 3:17; John 15:2] I invite You to have Your way in my as I submit myself to Your loving leadership and authority in my life. I want to honor Your authority as a Father who deserves all respect and obedience. Thank You for equipping and empowering me through Your gift of the Holy Spirit to honor and love You with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen. (So be it!)

For more information on the healing journey as we connect with God, I recommend my post “‘Healed’ Twice.”