Healing Past Wounds and Forgiving Present Scars..Craig Denison Ministries

 Healing Past Wounds and Forgiving Present Scars

Craig Denison Ministries

Weekly Overview:

Offering forgiveness to others is one of the most difficult and important aspects of the Christian life. The Bible clearly commands us to forgive others. God longs to fashion us into his likeness that we might model the love we’ve been shown to a world with no concept of mercy. He longs for us to offer grace and forgiveness to the undeserving as we have been offered grace and forgiveness when we were undeserving. May you be filled with courage and boldness to offer forgiveness to those in desperate need of grace. And may God’s love shine through as you enter into your calling as a minister of reconciliation.

Scripture:“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” >1 Peter 2:24

Devotional:

All of us have experienced trial and pain. All of us are living life wounded and scarred. We learn to deal with our wounds and press forward, but whether we acknowledge it or not, wounds and scars change us. There are no perfect parents. There are no perfect friends. There are no perfect siblings or spouses. We live in an imperfect world with imperfect humans. We lash out and hurt others because we are broken and in need of healing.

One of the most critical spiritual exercises we can undergo is allowing God to heal our past wounds and guide us to a lifestyle of forgiving present scars. Without healing and forgiveness, other people’s mistakes will affect our future. Without the inner working of the Holy Spirit, we will live in continual suffering from the sins of others.

Our God is a God of healing. Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 103:2-4 says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” >1 Peter 2:24 says, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” Your heavenly Father longs to speak to the wounded places in your life and heal them with his love.

What past experience, trial, hurtful word, or person is still harmfully affecting your life today? Where do you need the Holy Spirit to come and speak healing over you? Where do you need to cry out to God in anger or frustration over a wound? Opening the wounded places of our hearts is an emotional and difficult process, but until we allow God into the harmful events of our pasts we will never experience true freedom and restoration from them. Until we allow ourselves space to deal with what for some have been harmful and defining moments, we will never experience the entirety of the abundant life available to us.

And as the Lord begins to heal our wounds, we must allow him to guide us to a lifestyle of forgiveness for our present scars. We must forgive those people who hurt us so the scars in our lives become symbols of God’s redeeming love rather than reminders of painful events. James 2:13 says, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Show mercy to those who are undeserving of it just as your heavenly Father has shown you mercy. Love your enemies as Jesus did so that you can experience triumph instead of pain, freedom instead of enslavement to negativity, and joy instead of anger. May your heavenly Father be allowed to love you, hold you, and care for the places in your heart that need his healing touch the most.

Guided Prayer:

1. Meditate on God’s desire to heal your wounds. Allow Scripture to fill you with courage to open your heart to the Spirit, and let him provide healing today.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

“But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” >Isaiah 53:5

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” >Matthew 11:28

2. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what he wants to heal today. What wound is affecting your life? Where do you need God to speak his truth and love over you?

3. Open your heart to the Lord and ask him to speak truth and love to your wound. Ask the Holy Spirit to heal your wounds in whatever way he desires. Trust and follow his leadership.

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” >Zephaniah 3:17

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” Psalm 103:2-4

Receiving healing for wounds and the courage to forgive present scars is a constant process. There will always be more for the Lord to heal. There will always be new wounds the Lord wants to speak to. If you will allow the Lord to faithfully love and heal your wounds, you will experience abundant life to greater depths than you thought possible. May you be filled with newfound courage and freedom today in response to the overwhelming love and power of your heavenly Father.

Extended Reading: Psalm 147

The Cure for a Troubled Heart..JOANNA WEAVER

 The Cure for a Troubled Heart

JOANNA WEAVER 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 (NIV)

It had been a terrible, no-good day.

My husband had said something that embarrassed me, and I was mad. We’d tried to talk about it, but John couldn’t see the problem. I, on the other hand, couldn’t see anything else.

While he went to an appointment, I wandered through the small town we were visiting. In one of the stores decorated for Christmas, I fell in love with a set of brown wooden blocks that spelled out “peace.” Festooned with pine cones and holly, the blocks could be displayed all year long. Best of all, the whole set was only $8.

Later, at the coffee shop where John had agreed to pick me up, I ordered a mocha and started rehearsing a short but powerful speech that would help my husband understand the depth of my hurt. But when he arrived and I started to climb into the truck, another set of words came out of my mouth.

“Stop!” I exclaimed. “I’ve lost my peace!” I ran back into the coffee shop and searched frantically for the small bag of blocks. But it was nowhere to be found.

“Someone stole my peace!” I told my bewildered husband as I got in the truck and swiped away a tear. I really loved those blocks.

The next morning, I called the gift shop to see if they had more in the back. The woman on the phone offered to check as I whispered a prayer.

“Good news! I found another set,” she said, but then she added, “Hey … I just noticed a bag of blocks under the counter. Do you think they’re yours?”

Suddenly the Lord put everything together. No one stole your peace, Joanna. And you didn’t lose it. You left it, My dear, He whispered gently to my chastened heart.

It’s easy to leave behind our peace with all the uncertainty and chaos in the world. Even as Christians, we can become so consumed by the cares of life that we miss the inner calm Jesus came to give.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you,” Jesus says in John 14:27. “I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

This peace from God is truly remarkable. It’s meant to infiltrate every part of our being, giving us peace within and peace without. A deep-rooted stability that isn’t easily ruffled, stolen or misplaced — no matter what touches our lives.

It’s the kind of life Jesus lived when He came to earth. Fully dependent on God, Jesus never seemed to rush from one place to another. He was purposeful rather than driven, available rather than busy, touchable rather than distant. Because He was led by the Holy Spirit, Jesus saw everything and everyone as part of God’s will for His life. And because He trusted that the Father had everything under control, His life was marked by a beautiful peace.

Imagine what our lives would be like if we did the same. It starts with the instructions found in John 14:27:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled …” (emphasis added).

In a very real way, worry — and even anger at our husbands when they hurt our feelings — is a choice. I know we don’t always feel like we have an option when something produces a strong and immediate emotion. But until we understand we have a choice, we will remain powerless and peace-less.

Perhaps that’s why Jesus, in John 14:27, repeats a phrase found in John 14:1: “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (NIV, emphasis added). Then He tells us how to do it: “Trust in God, and trust also in me” (John 14:1, NLT).

Trusting God is the only cure for a troubled heart, so I find myself repeating these verses from John 14 often. My wooden blocks have also helped. They sit on my bedroom dresser as a constant reminder not to abandon my peace but to guard it carefully.

And there’s one more lesson God taught me from that little bag of blocks. When I retrieved the paper bag of blocks from the store, I noticed the saleswoman had written on it three large letters in marker: P.I.F. — “paid in full.”

The peace you and I need has already been purchased by Jesus and His death upon the cross. What we do with that peace is up to us. So when fear comes knocking — and it will, my friend — don’t let it trigger panic.

Let it trigger trust instead.

Lord, forgive me for allowing the troubles of life to trouble me. I want to experience the peace of God in every area of my life. Give me grace to trust You more so I continually choose faith over fear. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Rewards of Patience..Dr. Charles Stanley

 The Rewards of Patience

Dr. Charles Stanley

Psalms 40

The Scriptures contain many stories of people who waited years or even decades before the Lord's promises came to pass. What modern believers can learn from the patience of biblical saints like Abraham, Joseph, David, and Paul is that waiting upon the Lord has eternal rewards.

Today let's look at Israel's most memorable monarch. David was the chosen heir to Israel's throne, but he spent years dodging King Saul's wrathful pursuit. Despite having two different opportunities for vengeance, David resisted the temptation and spared Saul's life. He chose to adhere to God's timetable for his coronation instead of dishonoring the Lord by killing the divinely anointed king. David's psalms reveal his intimate awareness of Yahweh's work in his life. The shepherd king not only achieved his objective through patience; he also observed that God's way was always best.

David left behind an incredible testimony of God's faithfulness for each of us to read and meditate upon. He was committed to waiting upon the Lord, and as a result, he had the Father's approval and blessing. We cannot underestimate the reward of living in divine favor. That isn't a special state reserved for "giants of the faith" like David. All who obediently endure until the Lord acts on their behalf abide in His favor.

David didn't receive his blessings because he was special; he was honored among men because he honored the Lord above all. And since he trusted in God's faithfulness, he endured hardship with patience. We, too, can expect to be blessed when we wait upon the Lord.

A Love Letter from God..Anne Peterson

 A Love Letter from God (1 John 5:11)

By: Anne Peterson

Today’s Bible Verse: And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. - 1 John 5:11

Today’s devotional is my imagining of what God might say to us about His Word:

Dear Precious One,

I’m writing to you because I’m not sure you’ve read my other letters. Oh yes, it’s true, I’ve written to you before. It’s actually a bunch of letters I left just for you. I gathered them all together and bound them in a book, it’s called the Word, or maybe you’ve heard another name, the Bible.

Don’t worry if you haven’t read it, I know it’s quite lengthy. It’s something to take in pieces, something you read often. You see, I know that it’s hard being in the world. I know because I sent my Son there. And I watched as they mistreated him, railed on him and finally, nailed him to a cross.

It was hard to watch. And why did he do it? He did it because I loved the world so much, I wanted them to one day be with me. You included.

Some of my earlier letters talk about this. When the people sinned, I told them to take a perfect animal, a lamb, and to sacrifice that lamb. Then they would put the blood on their doorpost. And when the death angel passed over, whoever had followed what I said would have their sins covered. That is, until my Son came.

When Jesus came and his cousin, John, was baptizing, he saw Jesus and said, “Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world,” (John 1:29).

All have sinned and fall short of my glory (Romans 3:23). And the wages of sin is death, but my gift to you is eternal life through Jesus (Romans 6:23).

I know a lot of people think that they need to work their way to heaven, but it’s not true, that was man’s idea. And while man has a lot of good ideas, this is not one of them.

Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). 

Day after day, a priest would stand and perform religious services, which can never take away sin, but Jesus offered up one sacrifice for sin, forever (Hebrews 10: 11-12). Jesus is sitting with me right now.

Did you know Jesus is going to call those who have trusted in him to come to heaven, and that day is coming soon?

It’s true. I only speak truth. But only those who have trusted in what Jesus did are going to be able to come. Salvation is something that is a gift, it’s through faith, not works so man can boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). In fact, someone’s faith is counted for righteousness when they are not working for it (Titus 3:5)

If man could work to get into heaven, then it’s no longer a gift, and I love giving good gifts (James 1:17).

I want you to know about something. I used to have a beautiful angel named Lucifer. He was in charge of worship. But one day, he became proud and wanted to ascend higher than my throne. I had no choice, his name became Satan and I threw him out of heaven. He took one-third of the angels with him, who are now called demons.

If you’ve ever heard negative things about me, Satan is the source. You see, his destiny is sure. He can never go to heaven, so his mission is to discourage others. To turn them away from knowing the truth. And if they know the truth, he still likes to cause them to doubt things I have said, promises I’ve made.

If you have ever heard things like:

God doesn’t love you.

If God loved you, he wouldn’t have taken your loved one.

God has left you.

God is not fair.

Oh, my precious one. I want you to read my letters. It’s the only way you will be able to recognize Satan’s lies.

Life is not fair. But I am a just God.

And there has been no greater love than the love I have shown you by sending you Jesus (John 3:16). And allowing Jesus to lay down his life for you, his friend (John 15:13).

Did you know I’m preparing a place for those who have accepted my Son? (John 14:1-6).

I love watching you as you go through each day, but I want you to be with us. I want you to experience what I had in mind from the very beginning. A world without sin, a world without pain. I know you hurt in this world. I’ve kept track of all your sorrows and gathered all your tears (Psalm 56:8).

I want you to know how special you are to me. Yes, there are a lot of people in the world, but there’s only one you. You are unique. You are made in my image (Genesis 1:27).

Well, that’s all I wanted to say for now. I hope you sit down some day soon and open up my love letter. I meant each and every word.

All my love,

For now and forever,

God

A Prayer to Be Wise..Emma Danzey

 A Prayer to Be Wise

By Emma Danzey

Proverbs 16:16 says, “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!”

When King Solomon could ask for whatever he wanted from God, he chose wisdom. 1 Kings 3:8 says, “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.” The Lord delighted in giving Solomon wisdom. He was pleased with this question, and I believe that God is still pleased when we ask Him for wisdom today.

One of the best prayers that we can pray is the same as Solomon's. We too can ask God for wisdom. The amazing thing about living after Jesus’ resurrection is that we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit Himself lives inside of us. We have full access to His wisdom if we would just seek the Spirit over our flesh. Wisdom is better than everything that this world has to offer because it is knowledge applied. When this is Biblical knowledge, Christ-like knowledge, this is not only influential but life-changing.

Let's Pray:

Dear Lord,
Thank You for being all-wise and all-knowing. You are the wisest of all. In James 3:17, You tell us, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” God, this is the kind of wisdom that You have offered to us. You are pure in all ways, You are peace-loving, thoughtful, humble, merciful, you do not have favoritism, and you are true. Would You please help us to cling to this kind of wisdom by the power of the Holy Spirit today?

You know the questions and the uncertainties that I have in my life, and You care about them. You know exactly what I need and how I should respond to the circumstances around me. Please forgive me for being impulsive and unwise in the past. Help me to live by Your ways and lead me down Your paths.

Give me wisdom for myself and show me how to be wise for my spouse, my family, and my friendships. Help me to have wisdom in my community and at church. Especially provide me with extra wisdom when interacting with those who don’t know You. Give me the right words to say and questions to ask. Show me how to love well and communicate Your gospel of hope in a way that is understandable and applicable to them.

You say in Proverbs 19:8, “The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper.” Making wise choices leads to loving life because it means that I am choosing ways that You want me to take. Help me to resist the temptation to follow my sinful nature and guide me out of the enemy's traps that he set up in my life. Give me instead Your wisdom to say yes when I need to say yes and no when I need to say no.

Help me to live out Matthew 7:24, which says, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Jesus, You are the foundation of my faith. You are the best decision of my life. Would You help me to stay anchored on the foundation that You established? Be my Rock. Give me the courage to build my whole life and every decision upon You. I need Your help. I am weak, but You are strong. I am helpless, but You are my Help. Give me the ability to live by the Holy Spirit as I move forward and not by my own sinful ways. Help me to trust You and hear Your voice. Guide me by Your Word.

You tell me in Isaiah 55:8 that Your ways and Your thoughts are not my own. Even when I do not understand why, give me the faith to trust You. Give me the strength to walk in the wise ways which You would have me to go. Thank You for offering this gift of wisdom so freely to Your children. Amen.

Waiting with Courage and Hope for God..Jessica Van Roekel

 Waiting with Courage and Hope for God

By Jessica Van Roekel

“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield” (Psalms 33:20 NIV)

Waiting is one of the hardest things to do. We pray our prayers and wait for the answers. We act on the Lord’s leading and wait for the outcome. We love others through their pain and wait for their healing.

Rahab teaches us how to wait with courage. When the people of Jericho heard that the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea and destroyed the two kings, Og and Sihon, their hearts melted, and everyone’s courage faded. But Rahab declared her knowledge and belief that the Lord had already given her city into the Israelites' hands.

Instead of letting her courage fade like her fellow countrymen and women, she took a risk. She hid the spies on her roof and struck a deal with the spies, their lives for hers and her family’s lives. To mark the deal, she tied a scarlet rope to her window. Then the waiting began. How long until they would be saved?

How many times do you and I wonder when we’ll be saved? We know life is hard. But it’s those things that take us by surprise that knock the vigor right out of us. We go to bed at night thinking all is well, and we wake up in the morning to betrayal of someone we love. Or we find a lump and hope and pray for negative results, but the doctor calls and it’s the word we hoped we would never hear. And the waiting begins.

We wait for healing and vindication. We wonder if the Lord still cares for us if he let this bad thing happen. We question our beliefs in a good, good Father and how this horror can be turned into good. Rahab shows us the way.

If we fast forward past Joshua 2 to chapter 6, we read about Rahab and her family’s rescue by the spies she sheltered. Their lives were saved because Rahab waited in her home as she was instructed. Imagine how frightening it was for her and her family to wait while an army marched around their city. Fear probably rose like a wave, and tense silence filled the city and her apartment. Rahab believed, but did her family? And how much courage did it take for her to stop her family from fleeing her home?

Then imagine peering through the window on the seventh day to watch the massive army march silently around your city not once but seven times. Then, as they raised their voices, the walls of your city came tumbling down, but your apartment, like a chimney pipe stood tall. Do you leave in terror or wait with strength and courage for your rescue?

We have the choice with our difficulties too to be strong and courageous. God has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He is good and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in love. But will we stay? Rahab and her family had a choice—they could believe the spies and have faith for the promised rescue, or they could take matters into their own hands and try and escape.

It's a normal response to want to escape. We think if we don’t go through life without major difficulties, then we are blessed, blessed, blessed. But there’s a blessing that comes when we wait with strength and courage. It’s a blessing that grows our faith and makes us strong in the Lord. When we wait on the Lord in the middle of devastating circumstances, spiritual maturity happens. We realize God’s faithfulness because we experience his faithfulness. And when we experience his faithfulness for ourselves, it becomes a powerful testimony. We can encourage ourselves and others because we have the experiential truth that he is faithful and true.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
Waiting on God is a way to live by faith. It’s a way to grow your courage and strength. If you’re in a situation that’s taking you down an unwanted road of relational or health issues, take hold of your heart and strengthen it with courage that the Lord is with you through it all. He carries you, leads you, and loves you. Wait with courage like Rahab. Stand strong in your belief that he is everything you need in this exact moment.

Further Reading:

• Joshua 2
• Joshua 6