Walking through the store minding my own business, I hear that song! The song that burns my heart from that painful memory. It’s almost as if I am right back in that moment feeling the fresh sting in my heart all over again. I feel all alone in my own world of pain that seems as if no one can know or fully understand. Our senses are amazing, allowing us to experience things to a deeper level. I love all the feels, or do I? Something we see, hear, touch, smell, and taste can take us right back to the moment. Maybe it’s the indescribable pain from losing a loved one in life or from a break up to the joys from the road trip of a lifetime with friends. There are so many feelings to be felt. What do they tell us and are we listening?
Are we aware and allowing ourselves to fully experience and express the depth of those moments? Are we fearful to step into what is going on inside us whether it be joy or pain? Why?
The Lord, our Creator, made us in His image. (Genesis 1:27) He made us with unique minds and souls that are relational and feel deeply as He does. This is not a flaw in us, but it is by design.
“But now, I will heal and mend them. I will make them whole and bless them with an abundance of peace and security.”
Jeremiah 33:6
Emotions are the outcry of our heart that allow us to express the depths of it.
Not allowing ourselves to fully surrender to the emotions the Lord made us to feel is an indicator of our negligence to our heart’s condition.
“So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.”
Proverbs 4:23
What stands out to me is “above all”. It must become a priority “above all” to care for and restore our hearts to enter into authentic relationship with the Lord and to impact our lives and others. God most desires our hearts affection from us which should motivate us to protect and restore it. We say that we desire healing in all areas, but we must be attentive to our hearts and actively pursuing the spiritual convalescence that is only possible by the touch of our Heavenly Father. God is the only healer, who sent Jesus on His behalf to be our Mighty Counselor. It is only because of the cross that we can be healed.
It is in “Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)
Isaiah 9:6 declares Christ was sent and, “called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”.
Until we are willing to dissect what we are actually feeling and have been impacted by, we will continue operating out of unhealthy spaces that cannot be healed if not given to the Healer.
The world leads us to depend on time and earthly counsel as our means to healing. These are vessels of which the Lord can use as tools to help in His healing. A counselor is a blessing, allowing you a safe place to recognize the spaces of hurt, pain and distress in your life that needs to be addressed. This in itself is a picture of the safe place that the Lord invites us into to reveal what’s going on in our hearts. We must turn our focus from analyzing the imperfections of others and instead humble ourselves to uncover the wounds that hinder us from becoming the full realization of His image He made us to be. Healing is imperative for this, but understanding and allowing ourselves to authentically feel and confront the issues in our hearts must come first. If we step into the humility needed to know that we need God’s healing and discover the areas He needs to touch, it is then that we can proclaim His power over it and heal us.
We must allow for complete vulnerability of those spaces to be explored as to how we have been impacted. The condition of our hearts determines what place it operates out of. The brokenness and devastation of this world impact our being, but do not have to be a place of stronghold. When walls are put up and things are shoved or hidden, we live in bondage to those circumstances. Emotions and behaviors we have now learned in response to them becomes our way of self preservation. Instead we can live freely, surrendering to the love that fully covers us with His promise of protection. We choose what source we live from. Our lives show what we truly believe.
We never have to live out of that pain again. We can trade that in from the abundance of life that comes in His promises and truths. This is our true place of rest, peace, and security.
“‘I have seen their ways, but I will heal them. I will guide them and reward them with comfort. And for those who mourn, I will create reason for praise: utter prosperity to those far and near, and I will heal them,’ says the Lord.”
Isaiah 57:18-19
Until we are willing to dissect what we are actually feeling and have been impacted by, we will continue operating out of unhealthy spaces that cannot be healed if not given to the Healer. One touch from the Lord is all that’s needed. We either conceal it, ignore it, or want to sulk in our own self pity not wanting to address what has happened and what it has done to our heart. Unknowingly, we operate from the very space that causes us and others pain. Our ignorance or paralysis to the pain and trauma continues to be the impact we extend verses showcasing our freedom that is available for all.
The indescribable gift of the Holy Spirit in us unifies us with Christ. He is the only way we are given power over sin and all bondages. When we yield to the Lord, we give the Spirit control to guide, counsel, instruct, and give wisdom. He is our seal, the guarantee of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14).
The triumphs of our hearts become triumphs for all of those around us.
“In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”
Romans 6:11-14
We say, as believers, that we believe in the miracle that God completely cleansed us from our sins and saved us from His powerful wrath and eternal condemnation. It is mind blowing that it is free of cost. Our part in it is to actively believe, proclaim, and live it as truth. So why then is it hard for us to believe and proclaim His power to heal every part of our hearts that needs to be restored. It is not that you’ll never have those feelings again with those songs and memories, but it is a recognition of what to do with it. The hurts and pains of this world are real, but they hold no power over our Almighty Father. Hallelujah!
If this touches you, take this as an invitation to take it deeper with the challenges below or seek more wisdom from a trusted mentor or professional counselor.
Matthew 8:1-3
- “Now, when Jesus had come down from the mountain, large crowds followed him.” (Vs 1)
- Ask the Lord to help you FOLLOW HIM.
- SEEK AND PURSUE Him in a moment of no distraction. Step away from your agenda and priorities to make space for your Savior. Follow Him to where He is.
- “A man with a skin disease came, kneeled before him and said, ‘Lord, if you want, you can make me clean.’ ” (Vs 2)
- Ask the Lord to ALIGN your heart with a posture of reverence and submission.
- ASK Him to uncover any area of place in your heart or life that needs healing. (Take sufficient time to listen and allow Him to speak to your heart. Humility is needed.)
- ASK Him to heal and cleanse specific areas needing healing touch with confidence in the Lord’s power,
- “Jesus reached out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I do want to…. ” (Vs 3a)
- Take a moment to ACKNOWLEDGE His desire to heal you and His intentional touch reaching out of you.
- “…. ‘Become clean.’ Instantly, his skin disease was cleansed.” (Vs 3b)
- EXPECT Him to heal. Praise Him for the healing He is doing. Live radiantly and grateful in response to the cleansing He has done and the healing He is doing in You.
He takes great delight in you and rejoices over you with singing. You will seek Him and find Him when you seek Him with ALL your heart.(Zephaniah 3:17, Jeremiah 29:13)
