Make a Decision to be Healed from an Emotional Wound

My friend Marion has been on a life-changing experience lately. More to the point, she has been in the process of moving from her three-story thirty-year-old home, so she and her husband could downsize into a smaller house. This move would include moving to another state hours away from her current location. I marveled at the process of organization she went through.

First, they made a decision that it was time to undertake this adventure in their retirement years.
Then they arranged for a huge dumpster to be delivered to remove, shall we say, things we all collect that are unnecessary.
Next, a pod was placed in her backyard to store all the necessities from the current house that they would need for the new house.
And finally, an estate sale was held.

Our devotional topic this month is Healing, and it occurred to me that to be healed from an emotional wound, it has to first start with a decision, as Marion did in making a physical move. Over the years, there have been many times when I have had to make a decision to work through the grieving process to be well again after a hurt. However, there has been one particular incident that has required additional therapy, shall we say, beyond the normal grieving process of a loss in order for me to recover.

This particular incident revolves around false accusations made against my family from a church member years ago. Through a chain of events, God miraculously cleared us of these accusations. I made a decision to work through my emotions associated with the betrayal, forgave her, and I finally reached the stage of acceptance, and put it all behind me.

I think it is worth noting that at one point our accuser tracked me down at church and made the statement, “I will never forgive you and your family for what I believe you all did to me.” With that confession from her, unbeknown to me at the time, I was not finished with my healing process just because I had reached the acceptance stage.

Fast forward a few years later when the announcement was made from the pulpit that our accuser was now head of the prayer ministry for our church. I let out a gulp that must have roared throughout the whole congregation. How could this be? Obviously, the leaders did not know she had confessed to having bitterness toward my family, but didn’t God know? Sure, He did, so how could He allow her to lead a ministry? It seemed to me that He was letting her get away with bitterness plus putting her in ministry. In my opinion, that just wasn’t right.

The more I fussed and fumed about this situation, becoming more agitated every time I saw her, I felt led to read the story of the lame man by the pool of Bethesda. John 5 records the time Jesus passed by the pool where a great number of disabled people were lying around the pool, including a lame man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. “When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, He asked him, ‘Do you want to get well’ (John 5:6 NIV)?”

At that point, the man had to make a decision if he wanted to continue in his current condition or do as Jesus was about to tell him to do to be healed.

As tears of conviction began to flow down my cheeks, I asked the Lord to show me what He wanted me to do in order to continue the process of emotional healing. Very clearly I heard His voice within me say, “Bless your accuser’s ministry, ask me to use the gifts I have placed within her, and leave the judging of her to me.”

Like my friend Marion’s decision to make a move, there remained the follow-through to take her to her next destination. I encourage you to always be willing to take the necessary steps for your own emotional well-being.

Reflection

Do you have emotional wounds that have not been healed? If so, explain what they are and how they affect you?
As Jesus asked the lame man at the pool, “Do you want to be well?”
No doubt, your answer to the above question was “Yes.” What do you feel is your first step to take in the healing process? (Steps might include getting rid of anger, forgiving, acceptance, blessing the one who hurt you.)

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6 NIV)