When Jesus stepped onto the shore of the Gerasenes in Luke 8:26–39, He walked into chaos. A man, tormented and isolated, lived among the tombs. He had no clothes, no community, and no peace. The people had chained him, but even their strongest restraints couldn’t contain the darkness inside him. Yet the moment Jesus arrived, everything began to change.
This story reminds us that no matter how broken, bound, or beyond hope we feel, Jesus is still healing and restoring.
Brokenness Meets the Healer
I’ll admit—I love this story. It’s wild! There are demons, pigs, a cliff, and a lake. It reads like a dramatic scene out of a movie, but it carries one of the most profound truths of the Gospel: Jesus came to bring wholeness where the world only offers quick fixes.
We live in a culture obsessed with “instant results.” Whether it’s a new diet pill, a productivity hack, or a self-help book, we often want transformation without the time or trust it requires. But the healing Jesus offers isn’t a one-click miracle. It’s a process—a journey of grace, grit, and growth.
Wesleyan theology calls this sanctifying grace—the lifelong work of the Holy Spirit shaping us to look more like Christ. Salvation isn’t just a moment; it’s a movement. Jesus doesn’t just set us free; He makes us whole.
What’s Really Broken
When we look back to Genesis 3, we see how deeply the Fall fractured creation. Four relationships were broken:
- Our relationship with God – We were created for communion, but sin built a wall of separation.
- Our relationship with others – Conflict, betrayal, and pride distort our ability to love well.
- Our relationship with ourselves – Fear, shame, and ego twist our self-image and purpose.
- Our relationship with creation – The world itself groans under the weight of decay and misuse.
Every sin and every form of suffering traces back to these fractures. But Jesus entered that brokenness—not to condemn it, but to redeem it. Every healing story in Scripture is a glimpse of His mission: to restore what was lost.
Quick Fixes vs. True Restoration
We all try to patch our cracks. Some of us numb our pain with distractions—scrolling, binge-watching, overworking, or escaping into habits that promise relief but deliver emptiness. Others try to fix themselves through self-help or self-reliance, believing we can glue the broken pieces together.
But here’s the truth: when we try to pour living water into a cracked vessel, it leaks. We can’t hold grace on our own.
That’s why we need Jesus—the One who not only mends us but fills our cracks with gold.
In Japanese art, there’s a practice called kintsugi—repairing broken pottery with gold lacquer. The flaws don’t disappear; they become part of the beauty. That’s what Jesus does with us. His healing doesn’t erase our scars—it redeems them. We become stronger, more radiant, and more whole because His grace fills what was once shattered.
Naming What Needs Healing
When Jesus asked the man, “What is your name?”, He wasn’t seeking information—He was inviting transformation. Naming what is broken is the first step toward healing. Denial keeps us chained; confession opens the door to grace.
It’s not about giving evil more power—it’s about giving Jesus authority over it. When we name our fears, our addictions, our bitterness, our grief, we’re saying, “Lord, this is where I need You most.” And He meets us there.
The Ongoing Work of Wholeness
Healing is not always instantaneous. Sometimes it’s slow and sacred—like a sculptor chiseling away what doesn’t belong. The Holy Spirit patiently shapes our hearts, teaching us to forgive, to trust, to love, and to let go.
John Wesley called this going on to perfection—not meaning we become flawless, but that we grow in holy love. As we cooperate with the Spirit, our rough edges are refined, and our hearts reflect Christ more clearly.
And one day, like the man in Luke 8, we’ll find ourselves sitting at Jesus’ feet—clothed, in our right minds, and ready to tell the world all that God has done.
A Call to Reflection
This week, take inventory of your soul.
- What parts of your life feel whole and full of God’s presence?
Give thanks for those. - What areas still feel cracked or in need of healing?
Write them down and offer them to God.
Let the Great Healer fill those spaces with grace. And as He does, may your life become a mosaic of mercy—a living testimony of what happens when Jesus heals and restores.
Closing Prayer
Gracious and Holy God,
Thank You for Your healing power and redeeming grace.
Where we are broken, restore us.
Where we are weak, strengthen us.
Where we are lost, guide us.
Fill our cracks with Your love so that we may shine with Your beauty.
Make us whole in body, mind, and spirit,
and send us out to declare all that You have done.
In the name of Jesus, our Healer and Restorer, Amen.
R Y A N S T R A T T O N 