By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
Late one evening during a family vacation, we decided to go for a swim in the pool. Like a child hoping to impress with his skill, my husband proudly professed that he could swim the length of the pool underwater. Eager to prove his talent, he ducked beneath the surface and began swimming. (Not the best idea considering there was little light to illuminate his way.)
Three quarters of the way across the pool, he bumped into the corner wall and came up holding his forehead, sporting a nasty cut across his nose. (The injury was minor… but his pride took a pretty big hit.)
Eventually, the cut scabbed over. It’s wonderful how God designed our bodies with the remarkable ability to heal. Scabs provide protection over an injury, allowing the healing process to take place with no interference.
A couple of days after the accident, I noticed his cut was bleeding again. When I asked what happened, he explained that he had picked off the scab because it was bothering him. This became a pattern of behavior over the next couple of days; the scab would start to heal and then he would pick it off.
“My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly” (Psalm 38:5).
How many times do we, figuratively speaking, pick the scabs off old wounds, never allowing them to heal? We allow bitterness, anger, or self-pity to dictate our thoughts, words, and actions, keeping the injury as fresh as the day it occurred. Each time we mentally or verbally re-live a past injury, we pick away at the “scab” that is intended to repair the hurt and delay the healing process even further.
“From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness— only wounds and welts and open sores, not cleansed or bandaged or soothed with oil” (Isaiah 1:6).
There is a safe place—a sterile environment—where our wounds can heal successfully under the care of the Great Physician, Jesus Christ.
“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, ’declares the LORD….” (Jeremiah 30:17).
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).
Let go of the hurt, and let the healing begin.
“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
“By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
Looking for a way to connect with God daily? Check out our daily devotional books: Living in Truth Day by Day *** Living in Truth Mind, Body, Spirit ***
