By Andrea Merrell
Therefore, confess your sins to each other
and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a
righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16
NIV
“Time heals,” they say. True in some respects. Many
times over the years when I thought a physical ailment would never go away, it
did. Sometimes that ailment needed medication, stitches, physical therapy, or
even surgery, but healing eventually came.
There have been other times I’ve waited for inner
wounds to heal. A broken heart. Scars deep in my soul. Bad memories that kept
resurfacing no matter how hard I tried to push them down. Just when I thought enough
time had passed and the wounds were healed, they would break open, and all that
hurt and anguish would ooze out again … and again … and …
The truth is time alone doesn’t heal all wounds.
At least not without a little cooperation on our part.
I’ve found that in order to silence those hurtful,
negative voices from the past, I can’t keep ignoring them, hoping they’ll go
away. I have to face them head on and deal with them once and for all.
The process begins with forgiveness. Forgiving my
offenders. Asking forgiveness for hanging on to the past. And then forgiving
myself. Talking with a trusted friend or counselor might also be helpful at
times. But the most important part is giving my burdens to the Lord—casting the
whole of my care over on Him, the Great Physician.
Time can lessen the effect of some past
situations, but the wounds will never be completely healed until we deal with
them.
Go ahead. Begin the healing process today. God is
ready to set you free.
Excellent, Andrea! I am dealing with a situation where my sisters and I have become divided two against two through the settling of my mother's estate. My husband is the trustee. Things have been said and done that may never heal. I sought forgiveness for my own angry words and offered forgiveness for their acts against my husband and myself. One said she had tried to hurt me all of her life. The other didn't think she needed forgiveness because she hadn't done anything wrong. We are stuck in a place where reconciliation is impossible until they come to terms with their actions. I have peace that I did what the Lord gave me to do. It is hard, but we have a big God who can make anything right and I truly believe He will. However, you are right. Time doesn't heal all wounds.
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