I am sitting in my office thinking about this young lady I saw some time ago. I can't remember the place or the face, but I do remember the oddly placed band-aid. The band-aid was not serving its intended purpose. The band-aid was covering a new tattoo, almost totally. The band-aid was not what caught my attention, it was the colorful ink that was sneaking out from under the bandaid. No matter how you look at it, that band-aid was not doing the job. It was trying to hid something she possibly regretted, but it was not working. The bandaid was way to small and the tattoo was way to big.
Humans are very emotional people. When we are in pain, our face will always give it away. When we are depressed, our body shows our hurt. When we are fearful, it is very difficult to hide.
I have known some who have tried to cover their reality. The reality of a dark and painful divorce, or the loss of a loved one. I have seen them walk into church and mingle with everyone as best as they could. They try to blend in as if all was well, when inside they were wounded and struggling to survive.
Reality had beaten them and left them for dead. Reality had mishandled their emotions and discarded what was left. Reality was staring them in the face and they had no clue what to do with it. So with a "band-aid" they try to cover the obvious issue they are facing that just refuses to be covered.
I am reminded of the story in Luke. Jesus walkes into the synagogue on the sabbath day. When He arrives He notices a man with a withered hand, hidden beneath his coat.
It is obvious that this man did not want the withered hand. He did not ask for the withered hand, however reality had provided for him a withered hand. He is in church, worshiping God, and hiding a withered hand. Facing reality alone and hiding reality from everyone else.
When Jesus notices this man, He requires two things of him. Jesus said to the man, "Stand Up". Now this man had a choice. He could either stay seated and continue to live with a painful reality, or he could take a chance on this healer Jesus.
As he stands, every eye is upon him. "What will Jesus ask of me next," he think to himself.
The voice of Jesus responds. "STRETCH FORTH THY HAND!"
Jesus was asking this man to expose his reality. Remove the oddly placed band-aid that is only concealing some of the issue. What Jesus was saying to that man with his withered hand was, STOP HIDING BEHIND YOUR REALITY!! WOW! WHAT A CONCEPT!
You know the rest of the story. When that man stretched out his hand, he was restored, whole.
You know what I have discovered. Reality is no joke. Reality is painful. Reality is life altering. Reality will test your faith. Reality will pull from you everything that you have. Reality is REAL!
However, I have discovered something else. Hidden reality, never gets healed. If I am going to be restored, I MUST ALLOW JESUS CHRIST TO EXPOSE AND HEAL MY REALITY!!
At some point you have got to remove the band-aid and allow God to heal the wound. Hidden wounds never heal.
The first step to complete recovery is exposing the issue to the light of God's grace and mercy. He is a forgiving God. He is a merciful God.
Second, and quite difficult, try forgiving the one who assisted in the reality, it may only be yourself you have to forgive, but forgive.
That is two very big tasks, but you can do it. Let healing and restoration be your new reality.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
She sat down on the couch in the dimly lit room after opening the door and allowing me to come in. I was told to avoid their house, but just couldn't. The rumors around town were plenty but I just could not stay away. Something was drawing me.
I sat on the floor in front of the couch where she and her husband were sitting. The room was very dark and sad. The moment that I walked into that living room, heaviness settled on me. This couple needed something, anything.
I told them a little about myself and then began to ask about them. It did not take long until tears began to flow down their faces. As if it were yesterday, they began to re-live a most tragic event in their lives.
Their son was a young man full of life. Always a smile on his face and quite ambitious. He was always surrounded by friends. There was never a dull moment when he was around. As a matter of fact, on that tragic day, he was the life of the party.
He and his friends had gathered at the river on that hot summer day to cool off. The day was exciting. Laughs and endless chatter filled the air. Occasionally the heat would be too much and they would dive into the water to cool off. As he dove in one more time, he never resurfaced. His body was never found.
You can imagine how I felt, as they lived again the story as if it were yesterday. The sadness and depression that gripped them both was beyond belief. They had lived years in this bondage of depression.
As I sat there, trying to make sense of what I had just heard. I searched for words.
In that moment, what I had hoped for, was the right words that would begin to heal the broken heart. I was wishing for the right prayer that would set them at liberty from the bruises. Now I understand why those words never came.
Jesus never said that binding up the broken in heart was my job. NO! I can't bind up any ones heart. Jesus never asked me to set at liberty them that are bruised. NO! I can't do that either. My job is to present JESUS and allow JESUS to do what He does.
My mission in life cannot be focused on the success of the ministry to which I am called. I cannot be driven to achieve some goal that others can observe and consider me qualified as a minister. I cannot do anything on my own. My abilities are frail and limited. My hopes and dreams have been shattered at times as well. However, I must have the utmost confidence in the God that I am serving.
I cannot heal a broken heart; but the God that I can introduce to you CAN!
I cannot deliver from depression or anxiety; but the God that I know, he CAN!
At some point I have got to realize that God does not need me to make excuses for Him. He is a deliverer. He is a healer. He does bind up broken hearts. I cannot force His hand. I cannot move him with the pitch of my voice or any demand that I make. He is God and He is God alone. He delivers people so His name will be exalted, not my ministry. He fills people with the Holy Ghost to give them incredible power to overcome, not for a number on my web-site to promote me.
In that dark room several years ago, talking with a broken and wounded family, and now even more, I realize something. I have got to move out of the way and let GOD be GOD!!
I watched that couple walk into service on Sunday. I watched them lift their hands. I watched God fill them with the Holy Ghost. I watched God get the glory.
I sat on the floor in front of the couch where she and her husband were sitting. The room was very dark and sad. The moment that I walked into that living room, heaviness settled on me. This couple needed something, anything.
I told them a little about myself and then began to ask about them. It did not take long until tears began to flow down their faces. As if it were yesterday, they began to re-live a most tragic event in their lives.
Their son was a young man full of life. Always a smile on his face and quite ambitious. He was always surrounded by friends. There was never a dull moment when he was around. As a matter of fact, on that tragic day, he was the life of the party.
He and his friends had gathered at the river on that hot summer day to cool off. The day was exciting. Laughs and endless chatter filled the air. Occasionally the heat would be too much and they would dive into the water to cool off. As he dove in one more time, he never resurfaced. His body was never found.
You can imagine how I felt, as they lived again the story as if it were yesterday. The sadness and depression that gripped them both was beyond belief. They had lived years in this bondage of depression.
As I sat there, trying to make sense of what I had just heard. I searched for words.
In that moment, what I had hoped for, was the right words that would begin to heal the broken heart. I was wishing for the right prayer that would set them at liberty from the bruises. Now I understand why those words never came.
Jesus never said that binding up the broken in heart was my job. NO! I can't bind up any ones heart. Jesus never asked me to set at liberty them that are bruised. NO! I can't do that either. My job is to present JESUS and allow JESUS to do what He does.
My mission in life cannot be focused on the success of the ministry to which I am called. I cannot be driven to achieve some goal that others can observe and consider me qualified as a minister. I cannot do anything on my own. My abilities are frail and limited. My hopes and dreams have been shattered at times as well. However, I must have the utmost confidence in the God that I am serving.
I cannot heal a broken heart; but the God that I can introduce to you CAN!
I cannot deliver from depression or anxiety; but the God that I know, he CAN!
At some point I have got to realize that God does not need me to make excuses for Him. He is a deliverer. He is a healer. He does bind up broken hearts. I cannot force His hand. I cannot move him with the pitch of my voice or any demand that I make. He is God and He is God alone. He delivers people so His name will be exalted, not my ministry. He fills people with the Holy Ghost to give them incredible power to overcome, not for a number on my web-site to promote me.
In that dark room several years ago, talking with a broken and wounded family, and now even more, I realize something. I have got to move out of the way and let GOD be GOD!!
I watched that couple walk into service on Sunday. I watched them lift their hands. I watched God fill them with the Holy Ghost. I watched God get the glory.
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