When we need healing, we search all sorts of places to get the relief we seek. Of course, healing some events can be a more grueling process than others. Living in a culture where we expect immediate relief from merely taking a pill or syrup, it means we can be quite impatient when our healing doesn’t happen on our timeline.
Sometimes, though, the pain we experience is cut so deeply, we might think there is no healing to be had. In those cases, we might even perpetuate the pain because it becomes an actual part of our identity. In other cases, we run from the pain, refusing to admit it ever happened.
Instead of running away from the pain, I pray you’ll gain healing. To do that, we must understand a few things. For starters, our hiding from pain is not the same as healing. Next, we have to understand that the way we respond to our pain can determine how well we heal. And finally, even though scars usually do remain, there comes a time we we must release our pain before we are able to truly heal.
Hiding is NOT Healing
We are a broken people. There’s no denying it. And, as Julie Clinton shares about our brokenness,
We might like to resolve troubles immediately, but when it comes to our hearts, there are no quick fixes. We aren’t equipped to instantly heal. Instantly move on.
As she explains, healing the brokenness that comes with tragedy, doesn’t happen when we’re running away from pain. Yes, we are hurting. And yes, we desire relief. However, God uses each moment for pulling us deeper into relationship with him. Instead of running, trust God. Trust that he is at work, even when it doesn’t seem that way.
When we seek healing to our pain, we have to know that hiding is not healing, that our response can determine how well we heal. And, even though scars usually will remain, we must ultimately release our pain before we are able to truly heal.
Gain Healing by Refusing to Get Bitter
There are no-doubt going to be events in life that hardly seem fair. A brilliant mind dies far too young at the hands of drunk driver. One botched play by one player ruins an otherwise flawlessly played game and loses the championship for the whole team. Traffic is always slow when we are in the most hurry.
The list is endless really. The great news, though, we all have the power to decide how tragedy affects us. Rick Warren says of handling tragedy…
“If we choose bitterness, then we’ll only end up hurting ourselves and we’ll also shut the door on our own happiness because we can’t be happy and bitter at the same time.”
I also like how Daniel Fusco suggests handling discouragement: “We can get bitter or we can get BETTER.”
God’s love is enormous. More than enough to overcome the enormity of our failures and, of course, our messy lives.
Gain Healing by Letting Go
People get really emotional when facing troubling events. For instance, they may be experiencing fear, anger, anxiety, depression, resentment, helplessness or a cocktail of them all and others. Bottling such emotions by keeping them inside leads to festering and toxicity.
These are natural, God-created emotions.
So why not turn those feelings over to God?
In Matthew 5:4, Jesus says that those who mourn are both blessed and that they will receive comfort. Find time to share your heart with God. He is our refuge – our safe shelter – when the storms of life take nasty turns. God wants to comfort us.
Invite him in.