[stephenkhoo]

The paralyzed man in the gospel was suffering from the effects of disobedience and sin. He could not forgive his past mistakes. Hence, he could not move forward in life. He was wallowing in his past. The stretcher that he laid on was his security. Besides indulging in self-pity, as many of us do when we are suffering because of our mistakes and folly, he was seeking pity. Because of his past failures, he lacked the confidence to face the future. This is true for us too. Imprisoned by our past and our shame, we have lost our self-esteem and pride. That is why criminals and ex-offenders are fearful of returning to society to start a new life again because they are ashamed of their past and afraid that their past might be revealed.