How can I heal the broken places if you won’t let me? This is a question that the Lord asked me a few weeks ago. Often, we get so accustomed to our pain that we hold onto it. The pain becomes a banner that we fly high to be seen by all. It’s like we want people to know what we have gone through as a justification for our actions or as a ploy to get sympathy. Or maybe we hold onto it out of fear? What will really happen if we let this go?
So, I have a beautiful red-golden retriever named Shiloh. He loves to go for long walks. As we trek along the paths, he continuously scratches and kicks up dirt. I assume its his way of marking his territory, or perhaps a retriever thing. This causes his paws to become dry and cracked. He will then lick his paws incessantly which causes even more dryness. One particular day, I noticed him licking his paws uncontrollably. He even limped slightly throughout the house. Upon taking him to the vet, we discovered that my poor dog had a sore between his paws. Part of his treatment regimen was oral medicine as well as nightly foot soaks in a special medicated soap (I know right, he’s getting pedicures. #spoiled). So, the first night of his foot soaks was a disaster. The five-minute needed soaking time was only accomplished for a few short seconds. It resulted in a kitchen floor full of water and an irritated dog. Even my attempts to dry the foot were met with exaggerated jerks of his paw and nudging my hand away. The foot soaks were likely uncomfortable but were exactly what he needed to heal properly. Eventually, he allowed me to soak his foot and received a complete recovery.
This story provides a great analogy of how we respond to God’s healing. Do we shrink away from Him? Instead of allowing him to pour his oil over our wounds, do we pick at the scab? Are we constantly rehearsing the offense, ripping open the wounds all over again? Do we really trust that God can heal, or are we impatient with the process?
Jesus is the Great Physician. He wants to heal our wounds. By spending time in His presence, we allow Him to minister to the deep recesses of our soul. The process may not go the way that we expect it, but we must allow God in. Don’t hide the ugly parts from Him. He sees them anyway. He cares, and He wants to heal.
Scripture References:
Psalm 147:3 (NLT) “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”
Isaiah 38:19-21 (NLT) “Only the living can praise you as I do today. Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next. Think of it—the Lord is ready to heal me! I will sing his praises with instruments every day of my life in the Temple of the Lord.”
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