Finding Healing

In my life, I have encountered several trials, and each trial can leave you limping if you let it. Some people are content to live their life limping, tethered to a cane or crutches. Some people grow hard and calloused and fight through the pain. Although this sounds noble, it just masks the fact that the person is injured, and makes the situation worse by aggrivating the injury. This person usually winds up bitter and jaded and so calloused that they are totally unaware of the severity of their wound and the cutting way that they treat the other people around them. Another way people deal with the pain they feel after a trial is by admitting that there is pain and choosing healing.

Healing is a choice. Surviving a trial does not equal healing. Just look at the people around you who are broken, beaten down, or bitter and jaded. If survival equaled healing, then once we went through the fire, we would all emerge as happy go lucky individuals. But, we don't because healing is a choice.

Sometimes healing hurts. Just ask anyone who has had surgery and they will tell you that the healing process is full of pain. Sometimes when we are healed, we must remove some things from our lives, like people, priorities, bad habits,the list could be anything. Giving up those things are difficult, and can be painful. In order to heal, those things may need to be removed, and yet we still have to choose to allow that healing to continue in our lives.

Healing takes time. It is so hard for me to be patient. When I am hurting, I want relief, and I want it now. Sometimes it takes a while to heal, and we must wait and continue to do as God asks and try to remain in his will. I believe this is why many people try to dull the pain by filling themselves with drugs, becoming a workaholic, relationships, anything to take the focus off of the pain that they feel.

Healing involves gaining wisdom and insight into your own life and into the lives of others. As you heal, you begin to see the offending party in a different way. I know I have often felt sorry for the person who hurt me so deeply, because I realized the pain and dissatisfaction that they had in their lives. When this happens, I can begin to forgive. The funny thing about forgiveness is that it gives you and the offender the opportunity to grow and find healing. I believe true healing always ends with forgiveness. The reason I believe this is until you forgive, you are chained to the offender. This is a constant reminder of the hurt and pain that person caused. In order to break those chains, you have to forgive.

Forgiveness does not mean that all of a sudden there is no harm or foul. It doesn't mean you have to invite them over for Sunday dinner and be best friends. It means you hold no charge against that person anymore. You are turning the revenge and the justice seeking over to God to handle and sort out.

Finding healing is a long, and sometimes painful process, but it is well worth the price that it costs you. Healing leaves you better than before you faced the hard time, because you have survived, and found inner strength in yourself and in your faith.


Jennifer Meyers (C) 2010