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Wounds.  Deep, festering, painful wounds.  We all have them.  And, I’m not talking about the kinds of wounds that require a band-aid or stitches.  I am referring to the wounds that require the care of the Master Healer. 

The words of David in Psalm 38 describe what wounds do to our physical and spiritual health.  I encourage you to read that passage when you have time and ask God to reveal to you any wounds that you are not aware of or have ignored for too long.

So, how do we declutter our lives of our old wounds?  I do not want to seem to oversimplify what is truly a process but the answer in one word is Jesus.

Healing our wounds is one of the reasons He came to this earth.  Listen to the words in Isaiah 61:1-3:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion–to bestow on them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning and a garment of praise instead of despair.  They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor. {emphasis mine}

I know from walking through the healing process with God that it is not easy. I also know it is so worth it!

Here are some things I encourage you to do as you allow God to pierce through walls built up around your heart:

• Let someone know that you are letting God in.  There are parts of the healing journey that are just plain yucky.  You will need a shoulder to cry on, voice to calm and arms to wrap around you in a healing hug.  God did not create us to be long rangers…we are created for relationship.  Find someone you trust to walk through your journey of healing together.
• Make a Bible verse book.  I went to the dollar store a long time ago and got a photo album that fits in my purse.  I write down encouraging verses, quotes and prayers on index cards and keep them in that book.  That way I always have access to God’s Word wherever and whenever I need it.
• Keep a journal.  I love to write down the things I am grateful for, my prayer requests, sermon notes- you name it, I journal it.  I have volumes of journals that outline my walk with God through this life.  Sometimes when we are dealing with wounds, particularly the kinds that need debriding, our minds can become cluttered with negative thoughts, guilt, shame, anger- all the emotions the enemy would love for us to stew in.  Writing those feelings down in a journal allows me to get them out of my mind and relinquish them to God.
• Seek Christian counseling.  There is nothing shameful about seeking professional help.  Some of the wounds that I had to allow God access to were too big for me to handle on my own, to much for my husband to process alone, to personal to share with friends {at the time}.  Having Christian counseling was one of the best things I did and that brief time of counseling has stayed with me throughout the years and the principles I learned I still apply to my life today.

John 10:10 reminds us that Jesus came so we could have abundant life.  Not a miserable, sad, depressed and defeated life but abundant life.  Let Him heal your wounds and declutter your mind so that you can step into all that He has in store for you!

I know how hard taking the first step can be.  Some of my healing journey is documented here and I am always willing to pray, email, listen and support anyone who is ready to let Jesus have access to their wounds.  You can email me at melissa at organizedlifebydesign.com, find me on Twitter, Facebook or leave a comment.  I would be honored to pray for any of you!