Healing

“He has carried our griefs, and carried our sorrows…the punishment that brings us peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we were healed.”

Isaiah 53:4-5 

Our bodies are designed to heal external wounds such as a scrap or a broken bone. But what about much deeper wounds? Our internal wounds may need more attention. The only way to heal our internal wounds and to fully heal spiritually is through Jesus. The healing process can take days, months, or even years. It is all in God’s timing. 

Unfortunately, I didn’t immediately turn to God though for healing. This led to problems such as drug use, suicidal ideations, depression, and many other things of this world. All I needed to do was turn to Jesus; He is the ultimate healer. Once I cried out to Jesus and recognized I need healing, my life changed. I began to seek Him, and He began to lead me and heal my heart. 

For me, it was important to realize what major issues I need healing from. An absent father and mistakes on my part that led to consequences caused me to feel worthless and ashamed. While statistics are grim for church attendance/relationship with Christ for children with absent fathers, I have a mom that prayed on her knees and a God who is faithful. God clearly said, “Look up child. I’m not done with you.” If you told me freshman year, I would be this devoted and in love with God, I would have called you crazy. God was working on my heart the whole time and I didn’t even know it. 

Something I am healing from right now is a breakup. During our relationship, we started to stray from God and that is when our relationship began to fall apart. We began to live in the world and not in the Word. I learned that even when you are in a relationship, you must continue to heal because past hurts will reappear. It is important to have an understanding partner that is aware of your struggles and hurts. Although with the breakup I once again felt the sting of rejection, I have been thanking God for pulling me out of that relationship because he sees the bigger picture. This breakup has brought me even closer to God and has revealed what I do and don’t want in my future husband. I am trying to use this newfound alone time to deepen my understanding and love for my Creator. 

In my journey, I actively take steps to heal from past hurts and to prepare myself for future hurts. I begin by reminding myself what God says in his Word is true. 

Truth 1: God loves me no matter what I have done.  After all, he did die on the cross for our sins. Nothing can separate us from His unfailing love. 

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord”

Romans 8:38-39

Truth 2: God has a special plan for my life.  God sees our future that we can’t yet see. If we are obedient to his calling our future will be bright. 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jerimiah 29:11-13

Truth 3: God is actively pursuing me.  Ask, seek, knock.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 

One of my favorite worship songs is “See a Victory” by Elevation Worship. There is a line that God has really spoken over my life, “You take what the enemy meant for evil and you turn it for good.” The enemy intended to harm me, but instead Jesus gave me such a beautiful testimony. Without Him, I would be here to share my transformation from death to life. God has done so much in my life and continues to move. It is selfish not to share what he has done in me and through me. It is meant to glorify God and give Him thanks. It isn’t about me, but rather about Him. God uses our trials to build our faith. 

“Therefore never be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, his prisoner. Instead, by God’s power, join me in suffering for the sake of the gospel.”

2 Timothy 1:8

Remind yourself of these truths daily and pray “without ceasing.” If our prayers align with His will for our life, we will receive what we ask for. Pray from the Word. Here are some prayers to pray during your healing journey that really helped me. 

Pray to forgive those who hurt you. 

Jesus died on the cross for our sins and forgave us so we need to forgive those who have hurt us. If we don’t forgive, we are only hurting ourselves.

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. Matthew 6:14

Pray to be filled with joy. 

When you are feeling sad or depressed, you don’t have to stay there. Get on your knees and ask God to fill you with his presence. 

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

Pray to be filled with grace. 

In weakness turn to God. Let God take your pain and make it beautiful. 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. II Corinthians 12:9-11

Praise Him!

Praise God for healing your heart and for continuing to heal you. He is good. 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Psalm 136:1

Reflection

God tells us to pray continually. You may have to talk to God again and again as the pain from the past rears its ugly head. It’s not one and done. I recognize now that healing can be a very long process and the problems from the past can continue to reappear. If only it was as easy as people say, “Leave the past in the past.” While you can and should surrender it to God, it doesn’t just completely go away. You have to recognize it and give it to God daily. The devil has no authority, so pray and stay active in the Word.  Now during this time of healing and restoration draw closer to God and he will draw closer to you. His promises are yes and amen. It may be hard now, but look ahead.