4 Stages of Wound Healing

When you experience a wound on part of your body, it goes through specific wound healing stages.

1) Bleeding

While not all wounds bleed, a puncture will. When this happens, the blood will begin to clot within a few minutes, and the bleeding stops. As the blood begins to dry, it will form a scab.

2) Swelling

After the formation of the scab, the body’s immune system begins to take action. It becomes swollen and tender. During this stage, which lasts from 2-5 days, white bloods cells are hard at work fighting infection and repairing the wound bed.

3) Tissue re-growth

After about five days the tissue re-growth stage begins. This new natural material is called granulation tissue, and it will be covered over with a new layer of skin. As the affected area continues to heal, the skin will pull the edges inward and the wound will get smaller.

4) Scar formation

The scar that has formed will be smaller than the original lesion, and the skin will be weaker and less flexible than that surrounding it. Scarring occurs because the granulation tissue has grown back differently than the original. The flawed area may fade or disappear entirely with time.

Scars are the present testimony resulting from past tragedy

Scars are the trophies earned from triumphing over the tragedy

Scars tell a story of healing

Proud Flesh tells a different story. It happens during the tissue regrowth stage. Where new healthy tissue should begin to form. The granulation tissue, overreacts, quickly builds over the wound, covers the wound, but doesn’t allow the actual wound itself to heal

Is a surface covering of “flesh", that doesn’t allow the original, underlying wound to heal. It is the result of a wound was not managed properly.

Many today are wandering around with past wounds that remain unhealed, it is just covered up with Proud Flesh. They settled for a speedy, surface healing, rather than taking the time to properly dress the original underlying hurt.

David was a warrior, a great king, an influential leader, a worshiper, a man after Gods own heart, and he was a lamenter.

His laments give us a Grid for our Grief. A pattern to follow when life doesn’t go the way you planned and your handed pain.

Where do you turn when life doesn’t go your way? Where you run when you’re hurt is telling.

Addullam - means retreat

David says retreat to God, Turn to God, pour out your complaint to Him. Go to God, and get real. Be honest.

If you don’t heal what hurt you, you’ll bleed on people who didn’t cut you

my portion in the land of the living.”

The Theology of Suffering.

No promise in scripture of Easy Street. In fact you find the opposite, 2 Tim 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”

God is not afraid of your questions!

Lament - honest emotion expressed to God when life does not go as you had hoped or planned

If PRAISE invites God to come to His people (Ps 22), then I can conclude that LAMENTS invite God to come to my pain

David says, you can fully trust God!

To refuse to lament is to refuse the Lord's promise to heal

Challenge:

Job’s friends “sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him because they saw how great his suffering was.” This was such a powerful act it became part of Jewish life.

This is called sitting shiva—literally ‘sitting sevens’ because friends will come and sit with one who mourns over a period of a week. This is perhaps the greatest example in scripture of what Paul commands in Romans: ‘Mourn with those who mourn.’

Take some time this week to sit in silence, use the Kippah we provided to cover yourself and pour your honest, pure emotion out before the Lord.

Journal your thoughts and look for God's response