Daily Self Care TREAT THE WOUND By Kenneth Jones, PLM
Guess What? PEOPLE ARE HURTING Why? Untreated Wounds??? Concealed Wounds???
What It Means to Wound Wounds come from cuts, punctures, or trauma that pierces the skin and something inflicted upon another You hurt my heart is associated with pain, discomfort, limited mobility, and wound-focused Many are incapacitated by their wounds We sit in church, limited, and unable to minister to others because we are still bearing our wounds without relief chosen
Wounded Christians According to the World Christian Encyclopedia, approximately 16 million believers walk out of the Christian church each year and most do not return. Spiritual sickness and disillusionment is at an all time high. In North America, an average of 1,500 pastors and ministry leaders leave their post each month, again, most never return to the pulpit. While the church should not receive blame for every wounded Christian, it should provide effective ministry to heal those who are wounded Extracted from All About God: at http://www.allaboutgod.com/spiritual-healing.htm
The God That Healeth Thee Psalms 147:3 - He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds. The word wound refers to those who are afflicted with griefs and troubles. The reference is to mental sorrows; to a troubled spirit; to a heart made sad in any way. God has provided healing for such; on such he bestows peace. Jeremiah 30:17 - I will give you back your health and heal your wounds, says the Lord. For you are called an outcast Jerusalem for whom no one cares. The translation here is that God will Restore health - Or, apply a bandage to those areas in our life that require healing and recovery
A Wounded Spirit A person possessing a wounded-spirit is someone who has been hurt and bruised and/or damaged in their spirit it can be very painful. Proverbs 18:14 speaks to a crushed spirit Proverbs 17:44 talks of a spirit sad and dejected, which can drieth the bones a spirit broken with sorrow Proverbs 17:22 - A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.
If God Is a Healer, Why So Many Wounded Christians? Question: What do you do when you are wounded? It s not that God is not available, but whether or not we avail ourselves to him when we are bruised, hurt, or made sorrowful by others, circumstances, and trials of life Lack of knowledge when it comes to knowing God as our Healer Pop Psychology has brought to bear more focus on self-edification as a practice of superficially healing ourselves
How Wounds Are Derived Experiences Effects Exposure Trauma Rejection/Abandonment by Spouse or Parent Sorrow brought on the death of a loved one; Guilt; Physical and/or Sexual Abuse from those we love Sin (Sin brings separation) Prolonged Exposure to negative, crippling words and abuse as a child Divorce/Separation Negative Experience with Church members and/or leaders Being Overwhelmed; Lack of Hope; Loss of expectations Spiritual Attacks wearing you down (Psalms 143:1-4) - Trials and Tribulations; depression; anxiety; disappointments Sexual Immorality: Every wrong relationship can do damage to our spirit. Unhealthy environments Demanding and unrealistic expectations This spirit of this world -which refers to the unrepentant sinfulness of people, especially those inclinations that lead people to deceive, hurt, and undermine the Church
How Wounds Are Derived Unforgiveness: Withholding forgiveness from those who have disappointed and hurt us will lock our spirit into its wounding and it will become infected by bitterness, anger, and hatred. We cannot heal if we do not release the hurt to God and release others through forgiveness. False Accusations Sometimes, these may not impact us, but then there comes one that is a bit close to the bone Sexually abused - A wounded spirit comes into the lives of those (especially children) who are subjected to incest, rape, and other abuses (emotional, mental, physical, sexual, verbal, etc.). Many develop such a poor, low image of themselves that they feel the only way out is suicide.
Wound Care Why Do Wounds Exist Abuse Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual (broken spirit) Suffering experiences, setbacks, failures, sickness Generational Wounds left by those before us Left Untreated Self Inflicted Self pity; Self hatred; Self harm
Flesh Wounds Some wounds are just Flesh wounds caused by our carnality and worldly behavior Usually stems from a Me-Focused mindset that the world and some faith churches have imposed upon them People with Flesh Wounds are easily offended and often hurtful pride, especially when they don t have their felt needs met Churches spend a lot of time with those who have flesh wounds, bandaging them up weekly only to have them rip the bandage off always on an emotional roller coaster
Self Inflicted Exodus 32:9 The LORD said to Moses, I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people. One of the biggest dilemmas of 21 st Century Christians is how easy they are drawn into sin without considering the consequences According to Scripture, anyone who continually practices iniquity injures himself and shows that (in a practical sense) he despises or hates his own life Self pity, Self hatred, and Self condemnation can leave one s soul wounded and hard to recover
Why Untreatable Wounds can become a badge of honor Offers you Identity and Rationale Wounds become carefully concealed and over time we function with them Case Example: Inert Woman Spiritual Inertia - apathy", or an "inability or unwillingness to move or act". Inertia is a terrible disease of the soul and one of the greatest of all hindrances to the believer s spiritual growth in Christ The Presenting Need is not always the Actual Need Willful Neglect I choose not to deal with this wound Too painful to confront Accept that it s unhealable
Point Made It s easy to show the cape People conceal their wounds for various reasons: As to protect them from further pain They don t want to appear weak before others But Not the Kryptonite reveals our weaknesses and failings
Wounded People When a person is wounded, they may transfer their anger towards loved ones and friends A wounded person is sensitive and most times will act out of their pain They will play the Victim role as to avoid responsibility and accountability Wounded people often over task themselves with busyness being involved with activities to avoid church & true fellowship Wounded people may be caught up in pornography, drugs, sexual immorality, and entertainment Wounded people don t always consider how their pain may be affecting others around them
Concealed Wounds Case Example: What Else is Under this Armor! Many people in need of physical healing usually have emotional wounds too Allow Healing to take Place -Just as we bandaged our wounds for protection from germs and things around him that could do further harm, spiritual wounds must be guarded from outside forces that would slow or stop the healing, even cause more injury. We must do what we can to receive and allow God s healing power to deliver and recover us Too Prideful to Heal - God resists, or opposes, the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
Concealed Wounds Many Christians function like this for years and may think they are healed but underneath the surface, they are very fragile and immature emotionally and spiritually. It would take very little pressure to cause the wound to open all over again. It is because they chose to conceal the wound rather than seek God for healing Because they work so hard to repress and conceal their wounds, their pain from spiritual emotional discomfort is manifested in negative behaviors such as they may lash out, become overly sensitive, unforgiving, very irritable, very angry towards God, engage in addictions, untrusting, fearful of confrontation or spiritually passive
So What! It s My Wound The problem is we carry our wounds to our relationships We are crippled in our spiritual walk Since you won t allow Christ to provide healing, then others must bear it for you and with you
Carrying Our Wounds We Make a Good Couple I was sexually harassed Still bitter over last divorce My last boyfriend verbally abused me Father abandoned Me People used me I did not forgive my mother Still feeling guilty about not being a good father
Wound Care Treat the Wound Immediately Left unbandaged and neglect will cause the wound to worsen and become infected Bitterness, Anger, Unforgiveness, Guilt, Feeling Unloved, & Self-Pity can cause A wound caused by sin, trauma, abuse never to heal "My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester...i am bowed down and brought very low...there is no health in my body...even the light has gone from my eyes" Psalm 38:4-10.
Wound Care Clean the Wound John 15:3 - Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. God s Word, inspired by the Spirit, has cleansing power but it must applied directly to the wound The Holy Spirit is known as the Balm of Gilead The "balm of Gilead" was a high-quality ointment with healing properties. The Bible uses the term balm of Gilead metaphorically as an example of something with healing or soothing powers. Divine healing is the work of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 10:38)
Wound Care Don t Pick At It! If you continue to bring up old hurts, setbacks, and fears, then your wound will never heal Mark 11:25 - And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. If God is healing you from past wounds, then don t go back reliving the thoughts and anguish Stop ripping off the bandage! Renounce the sin or issues that is preventing total healing
Stop Picking the Scab In order to let our wounds heal properly, there comes a point at which you need to stop constantly picking that invisible scab Why do I keep picking? It must be because I WANT TO. Healing is taking place below the surface. You can t see it, but one day you will see the beauty of the healing when the scabs naturally fall away. When God is healing you, don t go back to the place and people where you bring up t he past, and hurtful memories.
Wound Care Monitor the Wound Look out for unhealthy patterns associated with the wound We need to ensure that the wound is completely healed "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard (your heart), for out of it flows the springs of life." (Proverbs 4:23)
Unhealthy Patterns Associated With the Wound Easily irritable with yourself and others Little or no tolerance: there is a low tolerance issue with others, where you expect and demand from them. Overly sensitive about an event in your past: If there are events in your past which cause you to become very sensitive or angry, or even cause you to lash out, then it is likely revealing a deep emotional wound tied in with that event or memory. Hard to feel loved: it is hard to clearly see and realize the love of others and God in your life. Self-hate: many times when a person is hurt from past abuse, they will begin to think that perhaps what happened to them, was deserved because of something they did or the way that they were. Perfectionism: a person who has an emotional wound may also be performance driven. Feelings of hopelessness due to separation and unresolved inner wounds. Since you feel separated from God, it becomes hard to see why He would love or care for you, and therefore you become an easy target for feelings of hopelessness
Wound Care Trust the Great Physician for healing He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 (NKJV) Jesus is the Great Physician Sometimes Christ does not offer a cure for the problem, but a cure for our heart to deal with the problem under His care. 1 st Peter 2:24: He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed. 2 Chronicles 16:12 - And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.
Avoid Superficial Healing Jeremiah 6:14 - They offer superficial treatments for my people's mortal wound. They give assurances of peace when all is war. Superficial lack of thoroughness or care; Of little substance or significance Avoiding the help you need to choose something that is not sustaining Jeremiah 2:13 - For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
Isaiah 53:1-6 WHO HAS believed (trusted in, relied upon, and clung to) our message [of that which was revealed to us]? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been disclosed? [xr]; Romans 10:16. 2 For [the Servant of God] grew up before Him like a tender plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He has no form or comeliness [royal, kingly pomp], that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. [xr]. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and wellbeing for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.
Thoughts to Carry Over Lord, have I revealed all of my wounds to you? Are there wounds that are concealed in my life? Lord, help me when I am tempted to bring self-inflicted wounds upon myself Wounds are treatable, but we must seek comfort from the Lord How can I help others who are wounded and need help? 29