Healing² = (2Forgiveness + Christ)² = Justice

A Mathematical Proof 

 I don't know much about math.  In  fact studying for the GRE has been a nightmare but I do know that the function of one variable equals another. And if they are in fact equal than the opposite must occur to get what you started me. (really bad explanation I know-- and please correct my wording if I cam wrong). But here's my main point if:

Healing² = (2Forgiveness + Christ)²

So for healing to occur we need forgiveness and for forgiveness to occur then we need Christ and forgiveness.

A lot of time pain in our lives comes from the repercussions of events, or the actions or words of others.  Sometimes it's direct, intentional victimization and other times pain just occurs within our imperfect and worldly relationships. When we are "wronged" or hurt by another person; Christian or non-Christian we often place blame-- project our hurt onto them.  When we then fall into sin, because of the pain we feel-- we often do not take personal responsibility for our sins.  We often claim them to be "justified."  But the truth is NO sin is justified, and placing blame on others only entraps us in Satan's lies of resentment and bitterness.  We feel unable to forgive and do not take responsibility for our sins or sinful cycles of behavior and deep down that often leads to feelings of guilt.  Am I hitting on any truths in your life?  Do you feel you have areas of pain accompanied by sin that you feel are justified or "caused" by someone or something else?

Like that is "just the way you are."? Well you are right-- that is "the way you are (or man is)" do to the Fall and the  innate sin of this world,BUT if we are Christians we are born-again in Christ.  We have NEW life and we are defined by HIM ALONE.  We are not that "way" and it is actually completely "unnatural" as a Christian which the the Holy Spirit dwells within to be in bondage to pain and sin and to be entrapped by pain and Satan's lies.  It is "unnatural" to be in Slavery to past pain and unforgiveness as a true follower of Christ.

You may be think well how does that change?  How do we heal? The reprocussions of events and hurts in our lives may seem to big, too encompassing and to overwhelming to "overcome."

Do we not remember who Christ is?  Have we forgotten that He not only overcame Satan and evil but that He rose again from the dead and "conquered the grave"??!!??!??!?!?(Mark 16) 

He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11), He walked on water (Mark 6), calmed a storm (Mark 4) turned water into wine (John 2), fed 4,000 people with only 7 loaves of bread, and sooo much more!  And in the Old Testament, God empowered little old David to defeat Goliath the Giant.  (http://www.childrenstory.info/biblestoryforchild/chdbbldavidandgoliath.html)

God can do anything.  He is not only the great Healer but a Warrior. So Christ can help us overcome our past pain and lead us to victory and total Freedom.

John 8:32 ³² Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

So where does Forgiveness come in?  Forgiveness is key in letting go of past pain and defeating Satan.  The last thing the enemy wants is for you to forgive those who have wronged you.  Satan thrives on hate-- he loves it.  He wants to keep you captive to it, because he knows it leads to death.  Sickening huh?

In order to truly be free and conquer the slavery of past pains-- we must surrender them to God and truly forgive those who have wronged us -- even forgive ourselves!

According to Beth Moore, forgiveness is not just a passive "okay" to what has happened to you, nor is it condoning it, but it is fully trusting in faith that our God is a just God and letting Him handle the justice.  We should not wish punishment on those who have wronged us, but we should rest in faith and peace that He is just.  His death on the Cross was His justice.  We have all "sinned and fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and we deserve death, but God justly chooses to grant us life & forgiveness.  In a world so full of hate and set-upon the "eye-for-an-eye" philosophy, this all seems so counter-intuitive, but it's the Truth and the Righteous way that the Lord of the Universe has made.

Retaliation

38 h“You have heard that it was said, y‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, zDo not resist the one who is evil. But aif anyone bslaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And zif anyone would sue you and take your tunic,7 let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone cforces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 dGive to the one who begs from you, and edo not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Love Your Enemies

43 f“You have heard that it was said, g‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, iLove your enemies and jpray for those who persecute you, 45 kso that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and lsends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 m47 And if you greet only your brothers,8 what more are you doing than others? Do not even nthe Gentiles do the same? 48 oYou therefore must be pperfect, qas your heavenly Father is perfect.

Dwell on those truths for a while-- that God is all Righteous and Just and that He has all authority. Let forgiveness be the key and surrender your past pain to Him. He will take care of it.

We must forgive others to be forgiven-- it is Christ's commandment:

14 rFor if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, 15 sbut if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.(Matthew 6)

God is just.  Let Him heal you.  Turn Justice over to His hands and feel the flow of Righteousness and peace.  I pray that today we will all choose forgiveness.

God's Promise of Healing & Restoration

Jeremiah 33

        " 4 For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege ramps and the sword 5 in the fight with the Babylonians[a]: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath. I will hide my face from this city because of all its wickedness.

⁶ “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. ⁷ I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity^[b] and will rebuild them as they were before. ⁸ I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. ⁹ Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’"

Pain with Love

Pain

We've all experienced it.  We all know it's agony, yet everyone's is unique.  Each person's story different.  The depth, type, range and subjective experience different.

We often think that no one can relate- we place blame--- claim "you just don't understand what I'm going through" or "you have NO idea how it feels to be me."  We often dwell in our pain, wallowing in self-pity and resentment.  Why?  We often think: "I don't deserve this" we ask God, "WHY?"... good things don't happen to good people right? Many of us have a "just-world view."  Especially many Christians-- Christians don't suffer-- they don't experience hardship or pain, depression, sickness.. etc, right?

WRONG!!!! wrong, wrong, wrong! Both the New and Old Testament is filled with countless examples of pain and suffering of Christ followers-- godly people-- suffering and  pain is inevitable within this world due to the Fall-- due to the presence of sin.  And although God many not cause or bring the events into our lives-- He does in fact allow them. (i.e.: Job & Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7-8 " 7 So fto keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations,1 ga thorn was given me in the flesh, ha messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 iThree times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.")  Paul pleaded with the Lord to deliver Him from the "thorn" that Satan pained him with. (I will address this again later)

David, the Psalmist wrote many Psalms about depression, agony, pain and hardship. 

Psalm 38
" 4 For my riniquities have gone over my head;

like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds stink and fester

because of my foolishness,

6 I am sutterly bowed down and tprostrate;

all the day I ugo about mourning.

7 For my sides are filled with burning,

and there is pno soundness in my flesh.

8 I am feeble and crushed;

I vgroan because of the tumult of my heart"

 David sounds like he is severely suffering.

If you know the story of Job, the book begins with God allowing Satan to send affliction upon Job "an upright man," but only to the extent that the Lord allows.   In the course of one day, Job receives four messages, each bearing separate news that his livestock, servants, and ten children have all died due to marauding invaders or natural catastrophes. Job tears his clothes and shaves his head in mourning, but he still blesses God in his prayers. Satan appears in heaven again, and God grants him another chance to test Job. This time, Job is afflicted with horrible skin sores. Job falls into deep anguish and depression. (Job 3)  11 “Why mdid I not die at birth..?" 

His friends offer no comfort and question his righteousness.  Still Job praises God (Job 11 & 12)

 

Do you not think that Christ knows your pain?  Do you not think that your Father feels your sorrow?  I often do and I need to be reminded that He is "Ancient of Days."  God has been around for-- well forever-- He has seen all pain, and knows ALL pain.  Humble yourself and reconsider the immense amount of pain that has occurred on this planet since Day 1.  Does yours surpass?  I am not trying to belittle our pain-- just trying to put it into perspective.  And with that-- even if our pain may be small or moderate compared to that of ancient days, God still cares severely  about your pain.  He WANTS to bring healing to you.  He WANTS to restore you.  He LOVES you and was sent to save you from sin and pain (John 3:16).  According to Moore in Breaking Free,

the word "sent" in John 3:16 translates to the Hebrew word "shalack" which literally means to "shoot forth." -- like an arrow.  Christ is the remedy for pain and sin.  God sent Him like a flaming arrow into this world to be the antidote for pain.  WOW. When I think of Christ as an arrow, a needle-- a shock or cure for the cancer of pain and suffering, I feel a sense of serenity-- a flowing peace like a river.  Christ can heal us if we allow Him to. 

Isaiah 61:1 states, "he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted"-- "Bind-up" here literally means to envelope and enclose" to seal. Christ stops our hearts from profuse bleeding.  But according to Moore, Christs healing and "sealing" is unlike that of the world.  Often when we look to heal ourselves we put up walls-- isolate ourselves-- prevent the flow of love to go in and out, while Christ increases the flow of love and peace into our hearts and out of them when He "binds" us.  Cool image huh?

So God gets our pain, but why does He allow it?  Well God only knows, but I have a few ideas why (from Scripture).  

1. To draw us to Him.  So we will go to Him.  so we will need Him.
2. To bring Him glory by delivering and healing us.
3. To keep us humble (in the case of Paul) .2 Corinthians 12 " 9 But he said to me, j“My grace is sufficient for you, for kmy power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that lthe power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 mFor the sake of Christ, then, nI am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For owhen I am weak, then I am strong"
4.  So we learn compassion.
5. So we can experience the greatness of His love and peace!!!

The Lord always brings healing to Hid people whom seek it.  Job was restored at the end and blessed far more than he was before. (Job 40)

"10 And the Lord rrestored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job stwice as much as he had before. 11 Then came to him all his tbrothers and sisters and all who had tknown him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they ushowed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil2 that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him va piece of money3 and wa ring of gold.

12 And the Lord blessed xthe latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had y14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He had also zseven sons and three daughters. 14 And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. 15 And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters. And their father gave them an inheritance aamong their brothers. 16 And after this Job lived 140 years, and bsaw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations. 17 And Job died, an old man, and cfull of days."

 David the Psalmist also wrote of his amazing Restoration from the Lord.  

My Help and My Deliverer

40 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.

1 I uwaited patiently for the Lord;

he inclined to me and vheard my cry.

2 He drew me up from wthe pit of destruction,

out of xthe miry bog,

and yset my feet upon a rock,

zmaking my steps secure.

3 He put aa new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many will bsee and fear,

and put their trust in the Lord.

I don't know what pain is eating at your heart to day, nor do I know how you feel or what you have been through, but the Lord knows and He sent His only Son to heal and redeem you.  Please let Him.  As I confessed in previous blogs, I was diagnosed with depression this past year; I was miserable.  I pleaded with the Lord to deliver me-- He didn't right away.  Now I see why.  I have learned more about the Lord and experienced His love and unfailing mercy now more than ever.  It wasn't until I completely surrendered it all to Him that He brought healing-- and how amazing it has been.  The truth is I would not trade one second of my depression-- the Lord has taught me so much from it & I know His love much more than I could ever have imaged.  I have been humbled & changed.  Forever thankful for His redemption.  I pray that you will surrender the pain that is breaking you today.

"Our pain can either draw us closer to God where we can rest in His peace or push us further away-- causing us to resent Him."

Which will it be for you?

Pefectionism & Worth

A friend shared a devotional with me today about women and their feelings of worth.  The devotion sparked the following thoughts.

To all you women out there--"all my single ladies" or whomever :)-- this post is for you:

What are you worth?  Who or what has told you what you are worth in today's society?

Really reach into your soul and your heart into the darkest places- the deepest pain. 

How much do you really feel you are worth?  What lies have you believed about yourself?  What have you been told in the past? Was it a man?  A relationship? Your parents?  A teacher?  A friend?  A boss? someone who told you that weren't good enough-- or worse showed you?

Our society is filled with images, statements, etc telling us as women what we are "worth."

We are worth ___ if we ___, but if we don't we are less that (insert name).  Are you thin enough?  Smart enough? Fit enough?  Tall enough? short enough?  pretty enough?  feminine enough? strong enough? talented enough?  educated enough?  motherly enough?  independent enough?  meek enough?  successful enough?  even "holy" enough?

I don't know about you but EVERY question above pains me-- stings so deeply.-- causes feelings of hopelessness.  I am not "enough" of any of those.  I never will be. Ouch.  The little girl inside of me is brought to tears.  I will never be perfect.  

All my life, I have struggled with perfectionism-- a desire to be "good enough" for what I thought was best-- to live up to society's standards- my parents' standards- my teachers standards-- my friends standards- my standards-- even God's standards.  Trying to meet all those different ideas of perfection is down right exhausting.  Amen?

Much of what those feelings of a lack of self-worth/perfectionism are related to the spiritual root of

Legalism- the idea that we are under law; that we must please God.  That it is by works that we receive salvation and God's love and faith. and a lack of feeling loved.  (at least for me-- there are many other roots and each women has a separate scare/pain that these insecurities stem from, but today I want to touch on legalism).  The idea that we can earn God's favor, that we can be "self righteous"- even suffer selfishly.  Ultimately it leads to us trying to please God all the while thinking we can be righteous without Him or from something within ourselves.  As if good comes from us not from Him.  Ultimately we are trying to get His glory.

According to Moore, legalism keeps us from enjoying God and His attributes-- His mercy, His unfailing Grace, His everlasting love.  All things I believe the Lord wants us to enjoy-- things that He has so graciously Blessed us with.  And Satan tries to keep us from delighting in those wonderful gifts.  So how can we overcome this?  I'm not  completely sure myself- I am still working on it-- but Scripture tells us time and time again that we "justified by faith" NOT works. 

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God."  Ephesians 2:8

We cannot earn God's favor:

6 vWe have all become like one who is unclean,

and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.(Isaiah 64)

BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE IT!!!

"For while the Law was given through Moses, grace (unearned, undeserved favor and spiritual blessing) and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1: 17

We are made right through HIM, by Him & only with HIM.  He has taken the wrath.  He took our place.

Now as far as our "worth"...

How much are you really worth?

Scripture has the answers:

You are worth God's ONLY Son.  His pain, His suffering, His life.  His perfect, flawless less.  We are sooo undeserving but to God we are worth so much.  It is not because of who we are, but because of His enduring love for us.  You have heard John 3:16 before, but I beg you-- really internalize it:

"For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

  It is not because of anything we will or will not do.  It's all Him.  So relax (I'm telling myself this)-- you are "good enough".. perfection is found in Christ alone.  Nothing you can ever do will make Him love you life.  The ultimate Sacrifice.  He loves you the same always-- enough to die for you and He not only wants you to live, but to live joyfully and delight in the blessings that He has GIVEN you.  Don't let Satan (or anyone) tell you otherwise.  You are worth the ultimate price-- His Life.

Oh how He loves you!  (I need to work on this too) But women/sisters, lets not let men, the media, our parents, our friends, our teachers, society, even those who have the best intentions or even ourselves determine our worth-- leave that to the Creator of the Universe, because He already has!

Israel’s Only Savior(Isaiah 43)

43 But now thus says the Lord,

mhe who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

n“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;

oI have called you by name, you are mine.

2 pWhen you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

pwhen you walk through fire qyou shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you.

3 For rI am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

sI give Egypt as your ransom,

Cush and tSeba in exchange for you.

4

and honored, and I love you,

I give men in return for you,

peoples in exchange for your life.

5 uFear not, for I am with you;

vI will bring your offspring from the east,

and from the west I will gather you.

6 I will say to the north, Give up,

and to the south, Do not withhold;

bring wmy sons from afar

and wmy daughters from the end of the earth,

7 everyone who is called by my name,

whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed and made.”