Never Waste Your Wounds

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Psalm 147:3 (KJV)

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

There’s a difference in Hurt and Harm. Unfortunately, you can’t leave this life without experiencing both. The danger is putting every hurt in the harm category. When a dentist gives you a shot, or when a doctor sets a break, it HURTS (unless you go to my dentist), but it doesn’t harm you. Sometimes things must hurt us in order for us to get healthy again. The heart is no exception - sometimes it must hurt before it can heal properly.

Speaking of hurt, Church hurt is some of the most painful hurt you can experience. Church is a vulnerable place where we open up and expect to be understood and accepted, and on occasion we get disappointed, misunderstood, or hurt. The offending party rarely knows when it happens, but it happens just the same. The worst cases of Church hurt become infected and turn into harm. It becomes harm when it leaves long term, life-altering issues in your life, relationships, and walk with God. Sometimes it might take months or years for a hurt to become so serious it turns into a harmful issue lodged in the heart.

Time and space will not permit me to unpack the above paragraphs fully (perhaps in another writing). However, I want to share something God taught me that may help you process some of your own pain and disappointment.

Many years ago, I was going through a very painful time. A time when I was trying to push through the pain of being hurt, and well on my way for that hurt to evolve into harm. I was trying to do ministry through it, and it was draining my soul. I prayed and sought God in every way I knew, but nothing moved. I told myself that I should be ashamed of myself, preaching to others when I couldn’t control my own thoughts. How could I care so much about this offense when God had been so good to me? I owed God better than this!

A couple of ladies in the office had at one time prepared a room upstairs for me to pray in and it had been my haven for many years. One morning in that upper room I put my face to the floor and cried out to God for deliverance. The presence of God came in the room (I had been sure He had forgotten where it was), I stopped crying, a peace came over me, and total clarity filled my mind.

What I’m about to share, I remember as clearly today as the day it happened. First, the Holy Spirit told me to write those who had offended me a very real and transparent letter. In this letter I told them how offended I was, how much it hurt, and I even included scripture to make my case. I told them they owed me and my family an apology.

I felt so much better! Then, He instructed me to take a red pen and write at the bottom - PAID IN FULL and shred the letter!!! It was THEN that I felt free from the pain, bitterness, hurt, and harm. I wanted to pray again, preach again, and love everyone again!

Afterwards, as I sat on the floor, I sensed God was about to redeem all of this hurt in my life for His glory. He asked me three questions:

1. WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF?

2. WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE?

3. WHAT DID YOU LEARN ABOUT ME?

……To Be Continued………..