Belovedness by Sarah Krogerনমুনা

Wounds vs. Healing

We’re all wounded. It’s a part of the human experience. It’s what we do with our brokenness that affects everything. As the saying goes, hurt people hurt people.

My parents got divorced when I was 10. My life was turned upside-down in ways that I am still sorting through as a 33-year-old woman. There are two things I’ve learned from dealing with my wounds: you can’t hide from them and they will always be a part of you.

It’s in our nature to run from anything that might cause us pain. In some instances, like running from a stampeding herd of buffalo, this instinct is good. However, C.S. Lewis said that “to love at all is to be vulnerable”. Vulnerable, literally translated, means ‘woundable’. 

Getting wounded is one kind of pain, and believe me, I understand the desire to avoid it. Healing a wound is another kind of pain, and we shouldn’t run from that. You can try to hide your wounds. But the thing about a wound is, if you don’t do the work to heal it, it can get infected. The infection spreads. It affects the way you see yourself and the way you relate to others. The only way to avoid a total infection is to face your brokenness head on. What will it take? Getting help from a counselor or spiritual director, putting in the work on your own time, asking the Lord for guidance and His healing light. It takes your being willing to not run from the pain and do the work. 

Even after you’ve done the hard work of healing wounds, they will always be a part of you. When I was little, I tripped on a rock while running and skinned my knees. Every time I see the scars on my skin, I’m reminded of what happened to me all those years ago. The initial sting might be gone, but the marks are still there. They’re a part of my story, but they aren’t the whole story. 

It’s easy to feel alone in the midst of suffering. Today’s scripture is a reminder that God is close to the brokenhearted. God isn’t afraid of our wounds. In the words of Henri Nouwen, Jesus is our wounded healer. “Through his wounds we are healed. Jesus’ suffering and death brought joy and life. His humiliation brought glory; his rejection brought a community of love. As followers of Jesus we can also allow our wounds to bring healing to others.” - Henri Nouwen

Don’t be afraid of your wounds. You don’t have to face them alone. The Lord is close.