Healing

Last week we studied healing of wounds in the life of men. Ultimately, we seek healing in our relationship with God to remove those wounds that prevent maturity in our Christian walk. God is at work in your heart to accomplish this healing. The fundamental impediment to our healing is sin. Sin causes us to cling to wounds and hurts. For example, unforgiveness and bitterness can fester in our heart. Rather than embrace forgiveness through the power of the Holy Spirit we can feed the root of bitterness.

In seeking healing remember the following:

1. You must know the Word and how it speaks into your life. If God says to have compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience while putting up with each other and forgiving each other (Colossians 3:12&13) then I need to know that scripture and seek God about how it impacts me and corrects me and tells me how I should behave.

1. If I never reflect on my life then how will God get my attention? If I don’t have a quiet time will I force God to find another way to get through my thick skull? If we are God’s children then He will speak into our lives and correct us. Ignoring my Dad and running from him were both really bad ideas when I was a child. God is patient but He is at work in the lives of His children to accomplish His purposes. Do the smart thing and cooperate with Him.
   

1. You need to call sin in your life sin. Don’t make excuses for your sin like Adam or Saul. Conviction from God (not condemation from the enemy of your soul) is a precious gift and you need to respond like David did. When God convicts your heart then realize that your sin is against a holy and just God and repent (turn away from your sin and turn to God).
   

1. Confess your sins and God will heal you. He is faithful to cleanse you and He is also just. He didn’t wink at your sin and decide to ignore it. He is a Holy God. Jesus paid the price in full. The just punishment for your sins has been paid. If your sins have impacted others then God may lead you to ask for their forgiveness too. I pray that your love will grow more and more with knowledge and discernment so you can approve excellent things and be pure and blameless before Christ to the glory and praise of God (Philippians 1:9-11)

Thanks to Dr. Mark Dever (Senior Pastor of Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., and executive director of 9Marks Ministries) whose article titled, Relying on Christ in the September 2005 issue of “Table Talk” helped point out these principles.