Read: Luke 17:11–19
In Luke, we see a story of ten men who had leprosy. For years, they had been shut out from normal life. We've already read about lepers and how people in biblical times treated them, so we know that these men were battling more than a disease. They were banned from their communities, their homes, and especially from the temple. That meant no worship, no connection to spiritual life, and no chance to be seen as clean before God—or others.
So, when Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests, it wasn’t just about proving they were better. It was about restoration. If the priests declared them clean, they could reenter the parts of society they had lost, including the temple. That walk wasn’t just an act of obedience. It was packed with hope.
As they went, they were healed.
Imagine reaching the temple steps after years of being denied access. That moment would have been overwhelming. The very place they had been excluded from was now wide open. Everything they had longed for was finally available again.
But only one of the men went back to Jesus to say thank you. Jesus asked him, “Where are the other nine?” he wasn’t angry—he was pointing out that while ten were healed physically, only one returned for something deeper.
Sometimes we get what we’ve been praying for and rush off to the next thing. But what if the most important part of the miracle is the moment we return?
Gratitude didn’t just complete the moment for this man. It gave him something the others missed. So don’t forget to turn around. If God has answered a prayer or brought you through something, take time to come back to him. Gratitude opens the door to more than healing—it leads us into wholeness.