The Hurt and the Healer
The following blog was contributed by Jessica Wilson, Prayer Office Administrative Assistant:
Have you ever been hurt? I mean really hurt.
A lot of the time this kind of hurt seems to happen when it comes from other Christians, or others who “should know better.” I’m not going to sugarcoat it – it’s really tough to deal with at times.
Recently I was wrestling with the concept of forgiveness, in particular toward an old friend who had hurt me long ago but when confronted, never acknowledged my hurt or apologized. It seemed so wrong that this person had never acknowledged or tried to ‘fix’ the situation. It seemed like they got off scot free! As I prayed and told God about my hurt, I told him how unfair this was. Now, I’m not blind – I get that I have been that person.
I have hurt others, not known about it, and not fixed it.
I have caused others pain that God had to heal. What I didn’t realize before is how truly powerless I am to heal. I can be responsible, kind, and apologetic – and I believe these should be freely given as you are able and aware of your actions hurting another. But while kind words and apologies might comfort, they don’t heal.
After I poured out my heart to God, God poured out revelation on me. God gave me a picture of the friend, whose actions against me I had grieved for so long: The picture was of her shooting me in the leg. In my mind’s eye, I stood there bleeding, aghast, shocked, hurt, and angry. But as I stood bleeding, I began telling the friend that the wound was her fault and to fix my leg. And I felt God asked me, “Why do you keep expecting her to fix you? Can she heal you?”
This shouldn’t be news to anyone but – whether you’ve been shot in the leg or stabbed in the back, you need a DOCTOR, not an apology. The people who have hurt you – what are their names? Are they called Jehovah Rapha – The God who heals? The person who stole from you – is their name Jehovah Jirah – The God who provides? No, their names – the names of those who hurt you and me, are “human.” And humans cannot heal you, Jesus can.
“Fair” and “unfair” are useless concepts in this situation – what matters is “healed” or “not healed”, and I choose to be healed by Jesus. What a privilege that our God is such a healer – healer of hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. So take your hurt to Jesus. It’s not “fair”. It may not seem “right”. But those who have hurt us, on purpose or without realizing it, are helpless in our healing. Let us go to our loving, caring, all-knowing God, who binds up the broken hearted and who has healing in His wings.
I have been there, done that and worn the T-Shirt. Needless to say, I am not the least bit proud of my actions or lack of actions. Thank you for posting your input in a very simplified form. It hit the mark! I’m moving forward in God’s miraculous GRACE and releasing forgiveness.
Oh my, I think I need to stop reading these blogs or you will be tired of getting comments on all of these. This is so appropriate for all of us. Thank you for writing it. I hope you don’t mind my forwarding this to friends. It matters not where we are spiritually, we all need to be reminded of this and thank God for His faithfulness to us.
Blessings,
Donna
This is so timely for me…Thank you for being obedient to write and share this so we all might receive…I have been struggling with a very serious and painful hurt…so I really, really needed to read this today. Love and Prayers Kathie
Jehovah Rapha Jehovah Jirah. Amen! Amen! Amen! By His grace By His grace By His grace we can heal whether instantly and or overtime. God has a Kingdom purpose always for his selection of person(s) at any moment/space in time! Just as He chose His begotten Son Jesus to die and rise again for you and all. His Grace tested, magnified and lived through us… sometimes painful sometimes joyous. All for LOVE for Jesus’s sake.
Thank you Jessica, for sharing! Always a much needed truth to win the fight, and continue to stand in a position of receiving. Forgiveness is beyond ourselves, yet when we receive the sufferings of Christ, are we ever closer to the cross of Christ, than when we practice His sufferings? ‘Forgive them Father’, and He was truly innocent. I have had many wounds, most inflicted unknowingly. Yet, I am always brought back to the place of knowing I AM has forgiven me, even when I knowingly choose to do is outside His will, plan, and purpose for my life. When I choose to release someone from the accountability of their hurtful behavior, I must accept the consequences of their sin as being held by the Love of God to the cross of Christ, the same place where he has so graciously and purposefully held me.