Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, ‘Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven”, or to say, “Stand up and take your mat and walk”? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—he said to the paralytic— ‘I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.’ And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’ (Mark 2: 6-12)

How did the paralytic react to assurance of forgiveness? It would seem he had not yet stood up. Did he feel any change in his condition?

Jesus equates spiritual forgiveness with physical healing. Did the paralytic perceive the connection?

When Jesus tells the paralytic to stand up he does so immediately. Was forgiveness and acceptance of forgiveness a precondition to standing?

I am sure of God's love and forgiveness. But I often fail to live in accordance with this belief. What I believe and how I behave are incoherent.

Jesus can cut through the confusion. Spiritual reality and physical reality are the same. Choose to be real.

Above is a piece of art that has been detached from its creator. It is floating around the web without attribution. It is sometimes called Reality.