Christ The Lord Gospel Family|Belgium

Healing hurts from the past

A man carrying a big stone, a sledge hammer, and a suitcase walked into a talent agent's office. He said, "I've got an act everyone would love to see. I place this big stone on my head, and then my assistant swings the sledgehammer as hard as he can and breaks the rock on top of my head."

The agent said, "Wow, that does sound like a great act! I see why you have the stone and sledge hammer, but why are you carrying that suitcase?" The man replied, "Oh, that's what I carry my aspirin in!"

Many people are carrying a suitcase through life because they are in a lot of pain. They've been hurt by someone in the past and haven't gotten over it. King David said, "My heart has been wounded within me" (Ps. 109:22). How do you know if you have a wounded spirit?

Symptom #1: If you are easily offended.
People with a wounded spirit have a very low tolerance for pain. If someone makes a innocent comment, it can trigger the hurtful memory, which causes the person to overreact.

Symptom #2: If you are always talking about how you were hurt.
I've known people who are continually talking about how they were hurt years before. They keep replaying the hurt in their minds, and every time they do, they get hurt one more time.

Symptom #3: If you are overly suspicious of others.
People who are wounded view others with suspicion because they imagine everyone is out to hurt them. This causes them to be distrustful and defensive.

Symptom #4: If it's hard for you to love others.
A person with a toothache has a hard time loving people because all of his attention goes to his hurt. He's so consumed with his own pain that it prevents him from seeing others in need.

How can you be healed? First, you must desperately want to be healed. Jesus asked a man who was lame for 38 years, "Do you wish to get well?" (John 5:6) He wasn't joking. Many people really don't want to get over their hurts.

Second, you must forgive and let go. The reason why some people are still hurting after 15 years isn't because of what the other person did, but because they haven't forgiven them. What is forgiveness? It's releasing the anger out of your heart.

Source: Kencrockett blog.