Wounded.....Healing

 The episode with the deep wound on my leg has led to much introspective thinking.  It was forced on me by the neccessity of being still.  I do not go quietly into stillness...it is not my nature.  I am like my mother.....I am a busy person.  I've come to know that I like busy because it keeps me from thinking too much.

The wound on my leg fought me.  I tried everything to get the better of it and nothing worked.  Nothing made it better and I became torn between keeping it covered, letting air to it, cleaning it, moisturizing it with ointments of every nature.  It consumed me.

I finally sought out the help of a wound care specialist and after 2 weeks, it is finally on the mend.  I'm not there yet.  There is still much stillness in my future, but I am feeling optimistic about the outcome.

But

I have been thinking how much this injury is like injuries we suffer that DON'T show.  We try to manage them ourselves, we cover them up, we apply medicine of different kinds and we suffer alone and quietly.

My first appointment to treat my wound involved debriding the scab (that hurt.....a lot), no medication of note was applied, just a thick heavy wrap of some sort of cool wrapping material, cotton and finally an elastic bandage from my instep to my knee. Subsequent visits have been the same routine.

It occurs perhaps we have to heal other wounds in much the same manner.  We can't hide them behind a thickening scab, we have to keep knocking it off no matter how painful it is.  We have to get below and examine the nasty hurting part that refuses to heal.  And then we have to wrap it carefully in what we know will work.....all the while knowing, we will most likely have to do it over and over again.

But....if we are lucky and we persist....the wound becomes smaller and smaller with each application of care.  And eventually we will find it is gone leaving a little mark to remind us what we suffered and what we triumphed over.

Our hearts are the same.  It is my opinon that broken hearts are stronger when they heal because we have to do the work over and over again until those breaks become faint memories........and lessons.

It hurts to pick off a scab........it hurts and it feels good all at the same time.  It's like a punishment for carelessness.  Not being careful in our behavior or with our feelings and hearts.  But until we see below it and find what is festering there....those wounds will never heal.

And so, my treatment for wounded spirits will forever be this going forward:

Don't let the scab deter you....pick it off and see what lies beneath.

Apply cool bandages of God's love and care for you and realize that HE loves you always, no matter how broken you are.

Give yourself a little padding.....distance from hurtful things and people to keep you from bumping your sore spot where it requires your focus all the time.

And last....wrap yourself in the love of those who never fail you, who have your back, who want the best for you.....allow it to be constricting.....there are times we all need to be held together tightly in order to keep from flying apart.

And then...

Be Still

Be still and know that God has you and He loves you and He will not let anything prevail against you if you truly ask and believe in His absolute sovereignty over your life.

And finally....you will heal and then you can help others heal as well.