Wounds

As a PTA, one of the things I was taught to do in school was wound care. As a little girl who was always picking at her scabs and examining her cuts and scrapes (of which there were plenty), I didn't mind this course as some of my classmates did. Granted, what I saw was much more in-depth than a scraped knee. Pressure sores to the bone, incisions that refused to heal, toes that were falling off exposing tendon... It was a somewhat gruesome experience.

Even with the variety that I saw, one thing didn't change among the different wounds. They heal from the inside out. The top doesn't heal over leaving the area underneath to heal once the area looks better cosmetically. Rather, the wound slowly grows up and in, allowing everyone who cares to look to see the healing process. It is a painful process. The patient did not ask for this wound, they didn't ask for it to take weeks, months, or years to heal. But they have it, and now they must help it heal. Sometimes the wound is full of hard, dead, black skin that has to be meticulously picked out in order for the new tissue to fill in the area. Other times, the wound is blood red (think raw hamburger). It is healthy, but it bleeds as it heals. 

Everywhere around you there are people with wounds. Not the type of  wounds that are easily identified by band-aids or wound-vacs, but deeper wounds. Wounds to the spirit, the heart, or the mind. In the same way that physical wounds cannot heal healthily by covering over the top and then leaving the underneath gaping... Emotional wounds cannot heal this way either. It might be easier to just cover up the painful area and ignore it, but there will not be any true healing taking place. Rather, there will be festering and anger that build up just as quickly as dead tissue would in a real wound. In order to heal and grow new tissue, we must be willing to heal from the inside out. This time, rather than using saline solution, gauze, or whirlpools, we have to turn to a different list to help us grow.

Trust. 

The Lord is my Strength and my Shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him. Psalms 28:7

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalms 34:18

This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it. John 11:4

Refuge.

But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all Thy works. Psalms 73:28

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all out affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Love.

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. John 15:9

Let all that you do be done in Love. 1 Corinthians 16:13

Humility.

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3-4

Wisdom.

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. James 3:17

As obedient children... like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior. 1 Peter 1:14-15

Forgiveness.

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. Mark 11:25.

And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32.

For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you also. Matthew 6:14.

Prayer.

Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually. 1 Chronicles 16:11

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

A broken heart will still be painful. The rejection will still grate at you. The hurtful words will echo in your ears. But we serve a God we can trust. He is our refuge. He Loves us. He teaches us what it means to be humble. He gives us His wisdom. He has shown us how to forgive. He wants us to come to Him in prayer. When you're hurting, an arrogant and prideful attitude will not lead you anywhere. Healing happens from the inside out. It starts in your heart, with your attitude. You must make the choice each day to act in a way that honors God, rather than reacting and hurting those around you. 

You have to make the choice to let Him heal you. He will come alongside you and clear out the dead tissue. He will cleanse the wound with His tears, for when His children hurt He does as well. He will nurture it to health so that it can heal. The wound may bleed and may still be painful, but with His care, it will heal.