As is true in everyone’s life, I’ve seen and felt a lot of heartache over the years. It would seem that heartache is a fact of life that is an inescapable part of living in this world. Along my journey, I have seen how differently people have reacted to the heartache’s of their lives. As I have observed those people over the years, I can see how those heartaches from their past has greatly influenced their lives going forward. Some have dramatic stories to tell that will just rip your heart out and others tell tales of pain that are difficult to understand or relate to. What God has been showing me of late, does not focus on their painful stories, but of the bondage that results. For many, it is a lifelong bondage from wounds that influences and colors who they have become and the quality of life they are leading.
There are wounds of all types and dimensions in this world. People of abuse, neglect, drug addiction, divorce, rapes, etc certainly have been inflicted with wounds, as well as the lives of the innocents pulled into their circumstances. Watching the “24″ movie the other day, was a tragically disturbing reminder of how cruel and inhumane life can be for innocent children and families in other countries of our world. We cannot even relate to such a life and it is shocking to be reminded that it is unjustly common for children to be exploited in such violent ways. Their reality is incomprehensible to us. What we do relate to are the circumstances and experiences of our own lives. As a bystander it is sometimes easy to see how the child who was raised in a strict home is now raising their children with an unreasonable lack of boundaries. Or how the person raised with an alcoholic or drug addicted parent is now following in their same shoes. Or, how a child of an absent or emotionally distant father still vies for that father’s approval or acknowledgment. But I realize more and more that it does not take events of this magnitude to have created life changing destructive behaviors within us. Proverbs 4:23 tells us that our hearts are the wellspring of life; “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life”. It is my observation that regardless of how big or small the events of our lives, it is the attack on our hearts that have influenced who we have become. A wounded heart, is a heart that wounds. A healthy heart, is a heart that gives life.
Who are you? A person who wounds or a person who gives life? Is it possible to be both? It is my personal experience that if you start pushing on the wounds of my heart, my initial reaction will be to defend and protect myself. That is never pretty. But it is very revealing, if I am willing to look honestly at myself. “What is that? Why did it hurt so much? What do I need to do to bring healing to that part of my heart? God show me what that is about.” If you are unwilling to be honest with yourself about these things, the wound can continue to fester and will lead to more destruction and possibly even an early death. Oh maybe not a physical death, and I say maybe, because certainly we have all heard of those who have died due to heartache. But, certainly it can lead to further destruction in relationships and in the measures of a successful, abundant life; happiness, ability to give ourselves to others, ability to serve others, ability to walk in the light, etc. Do you know people who are no longer engaged or active participants in life? Might it be their hearts are wounded and the damage has stolen from them their abundant life?
Jesus says He came to give us life and life more abundantly. I would say that His ability to heal our hearts wounds is a part of this promise of abundant life. It doesn’t take a heart surgeon to tell us that if we have unresolved heart damage, we will not be leading our fullest life. Certainly we will not be having an abundant life. Whether we have chosen to run a faster paced life to avoid the pain, or we have shutdown to avoid further pain, anything less than a surgery to correct the damage will have the same result.
God has allowed circumstances, people, events, etc to come into my life over the years. I have been blessed in so many ways by so many people and situations. But, then there are those other things. What do to with those? “Why me?” comes to mind, but really I think “Why not me?”. We live in a sinful world and a world of natural consequences. God has never promised to protect us from any bad thing that results in being in this world. He promises to draw us near to Him and work things out for our good. He promises to be there and to walk us through whatever does come our way. I spoke to a friend today who told of being raped at the innocent age of 18. How does a young woman get over that? That is a direct hit to the heart of a young woman. As she told me, she does not get over it. She has gotten “through” it. Andre Crouch eloquently penned what should be the story of each Christian. “Through it all, I’ve learned to trust in Jesus. I’ve learned to trust in God. I’ve learned to depend upon His Word.” Walking “through” requires us to act. We must be willing to put one foot in front of the other and walk. It’s a conscious effort to move on. It’s a deliberate choice to call the doctor, so to speak. To tell Him all about our problem, our symptoms, what we are feeling, what makes it hurt, etc. and ask Him to bring His healing powers to that place in our heart. And then to trust Him that He will work it out for our good, if we let it go and keep moving forward. Reading the word is the best way I know of not dwelling on pain, but instead being reminded of whom we serve and how willing and able He is to get us through it with a healthy, life giving heart. After all, He was there when we went through the event that caused that pain. He knows what He intended to accomplish through it. It is us who get hung up there and never let Him finish the work in us.
Look around and you will see so vividly, as I have of late, how many of us are living below the promise we have of an abundant life. A lack of balance is a sure sign there is a wounded heart beating behind the masks of workaholics, exercise fanatics, sports fanatics, over-eaters, under-eaters, self-obsessions, substance abusers, abusers of any kind, arrogance, spend-aholics, etc. Our sense of self-preservation has made us wonderfully creative in how we mask our wounds, so even we don’t have to see them. But, that is not the life God has intended for us. We are selling ourselves short, if we are unwilling to be honest about the condition of our own hearts. In fact, we are selling short all of those we come in contact with, because we are unable to fully fulfill what God had planned for us because we are too distracted and busy harboring this wounded heart. I am guilty. I know I am. And this day, I choose to open my heart and let God do surgery on it. I want this year to be the year of new dreams…His dreams for my future. I don’t want to hold back on what is possible. I want His abundant life for me and mine…and for you.
Good word Sis, good word!