Day 25 – How God Heals Our Deepest Wounds

When it comes to love and sexuality, the one thing all humans have in common is this—we have all been wounded in this area. Most of us deeply, in one way or another. Perhaps you have been through intense trauma and abuse, or perhaps your wounds are more subtle. Regardless, nobody gets completely off the hook. We all have hurts that we carry through life that we didn’t choose. Some of them we carry for years, or even decades. 

When it comes to love, there are two primary ways we are wounded. The first way we are wounded is that we are wrongly loved. This is when we experience mistreatment and even abuse from others—often those we had expected to love us the most. The second way we are wounded is that we are not loved. We were neglected or rejected by those whose love we deeply longed for. While the life situations that result in these two types of wounds vary widely, at the end of the day, we live in a broken world where broken people break people. This is part of the human experience.

We touched on this at the beginning of this study, but it’s worth repeating. John 10:10 tells us that our enemy seeks to kill, to steal, and to destroy. You don’t have to look past the assault on your own heart and soul to find evidence of that.

But it’s not the end of the story. 

In the latter half of the verse, Jesus declares, “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full.

On another occasion, Jesus declares to Zacchaeus, a broken, rejected man, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10, NKJV).

Jesus is on a clear mission to bring us back to life. He is in the business of restoring our hearts. 

The good news of the gospel is that God through Christ is restoring both our hearts and ultimately, the brokenness of this world. Whatever happened to you, however you have been mistreated, abused, neglected, or rejected, there are two major ways Jesus brings healing and wholeness. 

The first comes as a surprise to many—Jesus enters into our pain and suffers with us. We do not have a God who is far away and distant, unable to empathize with us. We have a God who in Christ, became human, and entered into the mess of broken humanity. In his life, and through his death on the cross, he endured the worst mistreatment imaginable—bearing the fullness of human depravity into himself. Whenever we find ourselves wondering, how, if God is good, is there so much evil and suffering in the world—or even in our own lives—we must live and wrestle in the tension of this mystery. Even our own God is not immune to or exempt from suffering. He experienced the worst of what this world has to offer. 

That, of course, is only part of the story though. We know that after Jesus suffered and died, on the third day, He rose again. The resurrection emphatically declares that God is making all things new. It declares that death does not have the final word. It declares that suffering and pain are not the end of the story. It declares a new, better ending to the human story—so much of which has been plagued with darkness. 

So what does all of this have to do with God healing our wounds? A lot. 

First, wherever you have been wounded, you are not alone. Jesus, through the cross, enters into all of our suffering. He experienced betrayal, rejection, abuse, neglect, hate, abandonment, and more. Through the cross Jesus permanently communicates to us that we are not alone—that He knows our pain, and He is with us in the depths of our experience. 

Second, through the resurrection, Jesus declares that He is putting us and the world back together again. Notice that even in His resurrected form, he still bears the marks of the nails on his hands and feet. Our suffering marks all of us in ways we did not choose. But it is these same scars that become the storied reminders of our redemption—beacons of what God has brought us out of and through. He heals our wounds, but he does not rob us of our stories—He makes them beautiful. 

It’s been said that time heals all wounds, but it would be more accurate to say that, as we lean into His unfailing love, that God heals all wounds in time. And as we experience the healing of our hearts, once marred and broken by distortions and perversions of love, we are freed to exchange our own brokenness for the glory of being fully alive. Whether your story is one of abuse, neglect, rejection, or most likely, a combination of all of those—Jesus, rewrites the ending. In His love, He brings beauty out of ashes—so if you have ashes, if parts of your life feel like they’ve crashed and burned, it’s time to get your hopes up. God isn’t done yet. Beauty is coming. 

 

Day 25 Freedom Work

Scripture Reading — Read Isaiah 61 several times, taking notes of verses the Holy Spirit highlights to you. 

Journaling Exercises — Answer the following questions at length in your journal. Aim to spend at least 5–7 minutes per question.

  • What are the primary ways you’ve been wounded in regards to love? You don’t have to write down your whole life story, but take the time to write down the themes and, in as much detail as you are comfortable, the ways you have experienced perversions of love or the absence of love altogether. 
  • Looking over your life and what you’ve been through, can you identify a theme to the ways you’ve been hurt? Is there a similar storyline that runs through your pain?
  • Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any lies about love that you have come to believe as a result of the enemy’s work in your life. Take some time here, and write down whatever comes to your mind.
  • Ask Jesus how he feels about the different ways you’ve been wounded in the areas of love and sexuality. Be specific if you can. You may even find it helpful to ask Jesus where He was in these moments of pain and hurt.
  • Finally, considering how God brings beauty and resurrection life, ask God to speak directly to the areas where you’ve been hurt the deepest. What is the voice of love saying over you? 

Prayer — Jesus, there’s a lot that I don’t understand about the realities of living in a broken world. Sometimes it feels as though darkness gets the final word—but I know that is not true, for you did not stay in the tomb, but rose again. There are areas in my own heart that have been so wounded and broken by others, and even by choices I have made. I feel I am full of ashes—but I thank you that you are the one who brings beauty out of that place. I ask you to speak words of healing and restoration over me. You know the specific ways that I’ve been hurt. You know the ways shame has marked my story. You know the darkness I have felt defines me at times. Speak words of compassion and healing that bring new life to my heart. Heal my wounds with your love—that I may join you in putting this world back together. Amen.

 

A note in closing: this lesson was intended to give you some practical steps to take in order to begin pursuing healing and wholeness in the areas where you have experienced wounds and even trauma. Repeat the above steps as often as necessary. We highly recommend enlisting the help of others in your journey toward healing—whether that is a trained professional counselor, or a trusted and mature friend. We are the body of Christ, and it takes the body to heal the body. Walking vulnerably with trustworthy allies who can provide insight into your story and partner with you in the ways God is redeeming your past is an important part of living free. Invite the Holy Spirit to lead you to the right people who can be allies in your healing.

Tax Information

Messenger International is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Your contribution over and above the fair market value of any goods or services received is tax deductible as allowed by law in the United States.

© 1992-2021 Messenger International

Dr. Joseph Serwadda's Story

Over the past decade, numerous pastors and leaders from all over the world have been crying out (and even begging us) for discipleship resources in their language. This may sound extreme, but in America we have an abundance of books and resources that are available to us that are often taken for granted. In many ways, we have access to excess.

In some developing nations, people have never seen a book in their language. When leaders from these nations are given a book, they treat it as sacred gift! They even hand-write books and Bibles word for word so that they can spread this message of hope to others in their sphere of influence.

Dr. Joseph Serwadda, a leader from Uganda who oversees a group of churches that number approximately 27,000, echoes this need among pastors and leaders all over the world: “Our biggest need is not money or bigger buildings, but solid teaching. We lack literature for people to read and study on their own. The more people we have in church who are less instructed in the Word of God, the less solidity we have. Come and help us preserve the harvest. This is a Macedonian call!”

Pastor Yassir's Story

Over the years, Cubans have long suffered under the oppression of a single message: communism. Despite this challenge, Yassir is committed to sharing a new message with his people, a message of transformation that can lead to national revival.

Cubans, in general, have been conditioned toward communistic consumption. That’s why Yassir wants his people to embrace a new identity: a life defined by what they can give. This shift requires growth and maturity that can only come through a new perspective.

He explained, “The Cuban church is strong and filled with passion. But I believe it’s important that we shift our mentality. We need to see how the Gospel goes beyond our own needs. Ultimately, we need to take responsibility for ourselves and our nation, and not just wait for outside intervention.”

There aren’t many Christian resources in Cuba. So, Pastor Yassir’s church, along with many other churches throughout Cuba, have been profoundly impacted by the resources Messenger International has provided for them in their own language.

In our conversations with Pastor Yassir, he often cited an ancient proverb: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you’ve fed him for a lifetime. He sees MessengerX as a tool both to feed his people and teach them to fish.

It’s become evident that after many years in our ministry, the most effective way to transform a village or town is not to construct a church building. This just keeps the local leadership dependent on us.

We are much more effective if we give the indigenous leaders such as Pastor Yassir spiritual knowledge that will empower them to influence their village, town, or city. Such knowledge helps produce the faith needed to grow and sustain the work, which, if necessary, will include buildings and other resources.

Stories like Pastor Yassir’s fuel our mission, because we believe that everyone deserves to know life-transforming truth!

Nura's Story

Before Nura became a follower of Christ, her life was a living hell.
After the death of her husband—from whom she endured many years of abuse and suffering—she became a widow with four children. In search of peace and inner healing, she sought solace in religious places and practices, which only led her deeper into depression and financial debt.


Her last resort was Jesus.


“I came to the Christian church and begged for help! I accepted Christ after I heard of the promise of peace and healing that is found in Him,” Nura wrote. “I slowly began to recover, but there was one thing hindering my healing—unforgiveness.”
Filled with regrets, Nura struggled to forgive her husband. But the grip of offense began to weaken when her pastor handed her a copy of The Bait of Satan.


“I forgave my husband after I learned how much I, too, needed forgiveness,” shared Nura. “Now I am healed, and I have peace for the first time in my life. Some even say I look ten years younger!”

 

Pastor Raphael's Story

Pastor Raphael was raised in Kenya, immersed in a culture of darkness. As a child, he lacked affection because his father believed that strong men don’t show love. He continually witnessed his father beat and belittle his mother. Everywhere he looked, insidious behavior was practiced toward women and infants—families were being destroyed and lives were ending before they had a chance to begin.

This was the destiny Raphael was headed toward.

But everything changed when truth entered the scene. The first area to be transformed was Raphael’s heart—which, in turn, transformed his marriage and his family. And with a strong and healthy family, his whole outlook toward life has changed.

“Through the resources of Messenger International, a relentless passion was ignited in me to see the people of my country free from lies,” shared Raphael. “I discovered my purpose to train up others and bring God’s transforming truth to remote villages.”

Raphael has trekked miles through mud and rain to reach people, often rising early and returning late. He would travel over 50 miles a day with his bicycle—but through the generosity of the MessengerX community, he was given a motorcycle, which has enabled him to double his efforts while easily transporting the resources and supplies he needs to facilitate his classes. Raphael has seen over 200 of his students graduate in the villages he serves.

“Thank you for investing in my people,” expressed Raphael. “Each day tribal warriors are transformed into children of God, marriages are infused with love, and the innocent are protected. Your generosity has given us the tools we need to rewrite our story and reclaim our humanity.”

Dahlia's Story

Formerly a Muslim, Dahlia fled to Turkey after she was expelled from her Iranian school and excommunicated by her family. Her crime? Becoming a Christian.

You can now find Dahlia in a refugee camp, far from what she once called home. But despite the upheaval, she has found purpose in her pain. On a daily basis, Dahlia walks through her makeshift town and prays over the people. They have become her people—the audience of her message.

Dahlia has become a messenger, and she is often spotted lovingly serving those around her and sharing her faith with them. Despite language barriers, people are drawn to her because they see something different in her. And what’s amazing is that she’s not only reaching the people in her refugee camp, she’s also impacting those she left behind in Iran.

“I’ve had calls from Iran,” writes Dahlia. “People who mocked me because of my faith now believe in Jesus and want to know more. So, I tell them about MessengerX, which has a lot of translated discipleship resources.”

As we continue to provide people like Dahlia with life-transforming truth in their own language, we’re helping them grow in their faith and discover their purpose—and we’re equipping them to make a difference in their world.

“I am beyond thankful for all of the books that I’ve been able to read in my language, such as Driven by Eternity, translated in Farsi,” shared Dahlia. “I read them again and again. The messages keep me company in this lonely season, and they inspire me to reveal Jesus to the hurting people all around me.”