Most of us have gone through trauma of some kind in our lives. We’ve all had hurts and wounds. Many of us have felt the pressure to perform and somehow find a way to hold ourselves together or get ourselves over it. We’ve felt overwhelmed, hopeless, and alone under the weight of it all. But know this… we were never meant to carry things like we have carried on our own! And try as we might, there is no method of men or anything we might do on our own power that can save us or take our burden. We will not find peace or rest this way. We find it with Jesus. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus tells all who are weary and burdened to come to Him, and He will give them rest.
Jesus came to give us life abundantly
But the thief, our enemy, comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10) The enemy uses one person to harm another, and then finds opportunity to take hold of the victim as well. When emotional hurt is inflicted, the soul is injured, leaving a void inside combined with a mass of pain. Two things that seem to contradict, yet now somehow exist together. Poor choices might be made trying to fill the emptiness and ease the hurt, pointing us away from the One who brings salvation. And we can be lost, believing ourselves alone in our struggle.
Lost because we have either rejected or don’t know Jesus, the One who heals the broken hearted.
“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
Psalm 147:3, KJV
I know the sad scenario well of the wounded soul turning away from Him. As a teenager, I was hurt terribly at the hands of others. I was 17 years old and so mixed up, full of so much pain. Another traumatic injury came, and the burden was too heavy… I ran away. I ran from my problems attempting to control them. And to escape. But the reality was, my problems came along with me. Only there were then many more of them. I kept racking them up!
He is near to us, even when we reject Him
Looking back, I can see the places where God was still present even though my back was mostly turned to Him. What a good Father He is! I have no doubt that I am here today only because of His intervention.
Something had broken inside me. I did risky things I had never done before and was in so many scary situations because of my poor choices. It’s still amazing to me that I did those things so out of character, especially when a large part of my problem was fear and anxiety. But if I kept running fast enough, I fooled myself into thinking I had everything under control.
Except that I didn’t.
Eventually the illusion of control shattered, and I fell apart. Misery was my companion for a very long time.
Hope and relief from the pain and fear didn’t come until many years later. Not until after I had Jesus in my life. Not until I surrendered to God one day in my desperation. He was faithful to rescue me. Jesus Christ took me on a journey of healing and breakthrough that has been miraculous and amazing. I am still on that journey… it’s a process of renewing the mind to His Truth. (Romans 12:2) I have faith in my Savior and believe I will one day reach the end of the valley, as He goes with me.
God waits for us to turn to Him
God is never far from any one of us… His Word tells us this, and that He wants us to seek Him, and even reach out to Him. (Acts 17:27)
No matter how long we may have turned away from Him, He is still there.
Whatever we are going through, He is in it with us. Never far from us.
Just as Jesus was inside the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 3:25), He is with us during our trials and suffering.
God promises us several times in His Word, in both the Old and New Testaments, that He will never leave us or forsake us. We can believe those promises and have an expectation of God that He really will keep His promises. He is forever faithful!
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV
” . . . surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:20, NIV
His Word points us in the right direction, from the beginning to the end. Every bit of it points to Jesus Christ, our salvation and healing. God has made a way for us through Jesus. He has made a way for us that doesn’t rely on what we can do. Our strength, ability, or smarts have nothing to do with it…nothing! It is all on His power. What we must do is decide. And do it from the heart. Decide to seek Him, reach out to Him. Surrender our will to His will. Believe in Him. Turn around and take that one small step right into His arms! He is waiting.
This is so beautiful and useful in my own ministering to those who are hurting/been told mistakenly they have to live with their pain forever. Thank you for this wonderful testimony. Thank you for your heart! And for your love of and desire to keep growing in the love and knowledge of Our Most deserving and desiring of our love Lord and King!
God bless you, Gina! And thank you so much. I’m so glad this is useful for you in your ministry!