The Cure?

The word CURE is a word that can illicit strong emotion given a persons life journey or even naivety of the journey of someone else.

From www.thefreedictionary.com the definition of cure is as listed below...

cure (kyr)
n.
1. Restoration of health; recovery from disease.
2. A method or course of medical treatment used to restore health.
3. An agent, such as a drug, that restores health; a remedy.
4. Something that corrects or relieves a harmful or disturbing situation: The cats proved to be a good cure for our mouse problem.
5. Ecclesiastical Spiritual charge or care, as of a priest for a congregation.
6. The office or duties of a curate.
7. The act or process of preserving a product.
v. cured, cur·ing, cures
v.tr.
1. To restore to health.
2. To effect a recovery from: cure a cold.
3. To remove or remedy (something harmful or disturbing): cure an evil.
4. To preserve (meat, for example), as by salting, smoking, or aging.
5. To prepare, preserve, or finish (a substance) by a chemical or physical process.
6. To vulcanize (rubber).
v.intr.
1. To effect a cure or recovery: a medicine that cures.
2. To be prepared, preserved, or finished by a chemical or physical process: hams curing in the smokehouse.
[Middle English, from Old French, medical treatment, from Latin cra, from Archaic Latin coisa-.]
curer n.
cureless adj.
Synonyms: cure, heal, remedy
These verbs mean to set right an undesirable or unhealthy condition: cure an ailing economy; heal a wounded spirit; remedy a structural defect.


I have been mulling over this word, and the definition of it as it pertains to the issue of same gender attraction and primarily what this word means for me as I continue to walk out the realization that I am same gender attracted.

I am a male, I am married to a female and I have a child. For those who know my journey, they could use the word "cured" in a way that means, Kenny is cured from homosexuality. That has actually been communicated with me. The very fact that I am married to a woman, must mean I am cured of same sex attraction.

WRONG

First, my definition of cure means so much more than a simplistic definition or even worldly view. It has everything to do with my relationship with Jesus. It is a fundamental shift from a regulatory meaning of cure to a spiritual cure. Cure for me comes from acknowledging that I no longer am in control of my sexuality. I have submitted that to God. He is in charge of that aspect of my life. Now you could think...WHAT? God is in charge of your body and your sexuality?

Why wouldn't it? If we view the fact that we are born into sin Psalm 51:5 (or the propensity right from birth to sin) and realize from Jeremiah 17:9 and our hearts are quick to deceive us The heart (our feelings, will and intellect) is deceitful (fraudulent, crooked, polluted) above all things desperately wicked (to be frail, feeble, incurable, sick, woeful) who can know(properly, to ascertain by seeing; used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially) it.

My 'cure' did not come from a program, a ministry or saying or doing the right thing, and it didn't come with the disappearance of my same sex attraction. Change/Cure came from my acknowledging that I am no longer in control of my sexuality. It was acknowledging the importance of Godly sexuality and handing over the controls to God, rather than taking it into my own hands, controlling it. It was also experiencing the breadth and depth of the grace extended through Christ. So often we demand others to quickly conform or give them unrealistic expectations to how someone heals and is restored. Sometimes it is proclaimed that to be cured, one must not experience a struggle or temptation with the issue ever again. My 'cure' came by acknowledging that Jesus died for my sin. He took my humanness and placed it on the cross. He leveled the ground at the cross...not only inviting me there, but everyone else too! We are all welcome at the cross of Christ. It was realizing that even though I will most likely struggle with my gender identity or my self worth as a male, that the residuals of my sin nature will continue to cause tension within me, I have settled that I live in this place. Not in drudgery, or complacency, but with a hunger to know God more, to know my worth in him and to know that through Jesus, I rise not in my own power/strength but through the resurrection mercy or Jesus, who is my strength...who has extended a gift of grace to me which frees me from condemnation, frees me from trying to be perfect, trying to meet all the requirements...He frees me to enter into a love relationship with him. This beautiful relational dance, where He leads and I submit everything!

So...am I cured? Yes...and I continue to be cured through the work of Jesus and the cross, until I meet with him face to face. Jesus has set right an undesirable or unhealthy condition (my sexuality) and he asks me to honor it by giving it back to him...all the time, especially when I don't want to. He is the one setting it right...He is the one who sets right all unhealthy conditions. As Paul stated...1 Timothy 1:15 "This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners"--and I am the worst of them all."