Eve M. Harrell
Apr 2, 20155 min
Have you ever experienced a challenge so great, unexpected, undefined, seemingly out of control that your first response is to break down?
Have you ever experienced sadness so overwhelming that you want to curl up in a ball and roll away?
How about anxiety and worry over future things which you have no control?
As we remember and celebrate the amazing sacrifice made on our behalf this Holy Week, let's also remember that in our suffering, there is HOPE for healing in HIM.
Healing can come in different forms including physical, emotional, spiritual and eternal healing.
Physical Healing –
A diagnosis stops us in our tracks.
All of a sudden we see a mountain of anxiety, worry, Doctor visits, an unknown future. What do we do?
2 Corinthians 5 tells us that we are not made for this earth, but instead we have a building from God, an eternal house in Heaven. While we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling. (paraphrased)
So what do we do while we wait?
God doesn’t want you to dwell in your suffering. He calls us to “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Psalm 118:5 says “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; He brought me into a spacious place.” A spacious place with Him by your side; you never have to suffer in the diagnosis alone. He is with you through it all.
His Peace can be yours.
Emotional Healing –
A relationship ends, we suffer great pain at the hands of another or maybe we just feel overwhelming sadness for what seems like no reason. When we face rejection, where does our heart turn? When we feel overwhelmed, do we want to give up? Through this journey we may find ourselves lost, alone, depressed, worried that we will never measure up to the expectations that we essentially place on ourselves.
Our Father knows our thoughts. He knows our fears, our worries, our dreams and our desires. Psalm 139 says that He has searched us, before a word is on our tongue, He knows it completely. (paraphrased.) The One who knew us in our mother’s womb wants us to know that He is with us always, His shoulders are big enough to handle any pain, any sadness that we may have. Psalm 34:18 says “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
2 Corinthians 12:9 says But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. When we suffer through pain and heartache, we have an amazing opportunity to experience the Love and Grace of God.
His Power is made Perfect in our weakness!
My friend, you can trust Him with your heart. Release to Him the pain, the hurt, the rejection and yes, the sadness. We must release these things so we can feel His Peace.
Spiritual Healing-
How many times do we find ourselves so distracted by the things of this world that many of us have trouble recognizing that the way of The Lord is to bring us life?
John 10:10 says “ the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
What does that look like?
In Colossians 2:6 we are told to live our lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as we are taught, overflowing with thankfulness. In Chapter 3, Paul goes on to teach us to set our hearts on things above, to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. In Chapter 4, Paul closes with a reminder to devote ourselves to prayer.
When we are saved there is a change in our hearts, very difficult to understand but all of a sudden our eyes are opened to “The Love” of The Father. We are in awe of this truth and we recognize that there is more to life than anything we ever imagined. What is funny is many conclude that this is “it” when in reality it is only the beginning. What comes after is a wonderful journey of LIFE in which The Holy Spirit works to mold us into the person we were created to be. The Bible calls this sanctification. After we accept Jesus into our hearts, we yearn to know the One who gave us the ultimate gift of Eternal Life. And until we leave this earth, our lives are a work in progress of Spiritual healing with Jesus at our side.
He teaches us what true peace looks like in our relationship with Him.
Eternal Healing –
That leads me to the ultimate healing, that of eternal healing. The truth my friend is this, we are all seeking healing and if you know Jesus, you WILL BE HEALED!
John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Revelation 21:3-4 says “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
OUR ETERNAL HEALING IS FOUND WITH HIM!
Friends we are not promised a life without suffering, but we are promised that our Father will walk with us through our suffering.
Isaiah 53:5 shares “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was UPON HIM; and with HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED!
Not only do we have a High Priest who can empathize with our struggles, but we can receive the healing which comes from the stripes He suffered on our behalf.
Yes, friend, you can TRUST Him with your challenges. You can TRUST Him with your heart, your pain, your diagnosis, your sadness, your suffering, your anxiety and your worries.
We may not understand what we are going through today but we can TRUST that He loves us and He has a great plan for us both in and on the other side of the storm.
So as we remember Jesus and the Gift of Grace He imparted to us this Holy Week, give Him PRAISE! Whether you need physical, emotional, spiritual or eternal healing, trust Him, lift up your needs to Him and have Faith that our Great Healer is healing you right now! Accept and receive His Gift of Peace as your own.
Father, we thank You for Your Healing. We thank You for the great sacrifice that Jesus endured on our behalf. Lord, there are so many today who need to feel Your Presence. I pray Lord that each one will seek Your Face and lift their needs to You, The One who has victoriously conquered sin and death so that we can receive the gift You have imparted to us of eternal healing.
Your Daughter
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