“Accepting God’s perspective and His truth will set you free from the bondage of painful feelings.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – January 16, 2024
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3
A while back, after having surgery to remove a one-inch cancerous tumor from my right breast, I lamented to my husband, “Now, every time I look at that big scar, I’m going to think about this difficult experience and that’s going to hurt.”
“No, you’re not” he said. “You’re going to think about how Jesus rescued you and saved your life.”
What life-giving words! That was exactly what I needed to hear. It brought about a shift in perspective, and when you have a shift in perspective toward God’s truth, it takes away the painful feelings about your experience. When we believe Truth, we are indeed set free just as Jesus said in John 8:31-32:
“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”
Now, when I look at that scar as I dress for the day, I think about the moments, the difficult, painful, soul-wrenching moments when Christ sustained me in the early part of this cancer journey, and I think about His beautiful faithfulness.
I think about how He has spared my life so I can do more work for Him.
I think about the precious, deep intimacy that has developed with Him, not in spite of what has happened to me, but because of what has happened to me.
That scar and all that has come with it has transformed my life and transformed me. The lessons have been profound, and I pray I never forget them. The deep meaning that has come from cancer cannot be understated.
I wouldn’t have imagined that I could ever say this, but I’m thankful for that nasty-looking scar and I’m even thankful for this trial even though it’s been the most difficult thing I have ever endured.
What has happened in your life? Have you experienced something tragic and hurtful that has left a scar on your mind, your emotions, or your skin? Accepting God’s perspective and His truth about it will set you free from the bondage of painful feelings about what happened to you and shift you to gratitude and joy.
Why? Because lingering, negative, painful feelings aren’t caused by what happened to us, although negative experiences are a doorway to emotional pain. However, emotional pain that won’t go away comes from how we internalize and view what has happened to us. (Read that again. That’s an amazing truth right there!) Praise God! He gave us painful emotions as red lights on the dashboard of our hearts to alert us as if to say, “Hey! There’s something here that needs God’s truth applied to it so that you can be emotionally healed and set free!”
Many times, we believe it’s the experience that hurt us that we need to get over. We believe we need to overcome it somehow and go back and fix it. But what we really need is to change how we view what happened to us to be set free. We need to accept God’s truth. When we embrace His perspective, nothing about the experience that hurt us will change. But how we see it, will—and that will lead to liberty!
Ask Jesus to show you His truth about your painful experience, and the scars that came from it. Once you get His perspective, you’ll be able to consider what happened without debilitating pain, regret, or deep sadness and say, “Thank you, Lord, for what you have done in me and in my life, not in spite of my scar, but because of it. I’m thankful for that scar. How I praise you!”
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives” (Isaiah 61:1).
Prayer
Lord, you are a wonder-working God. There is nothing you can’t do. When I get your perspective and truth about my trials, hurts, and difficult experiences, I am set free, just as you promised. How I praise you!
Application
Spend some quiet time with Jesus. Talk with Him about what has hurt you and ask Him to give you His perspective about it. Wait expectantly for Him to speak to you, knowing that His desire is that you are set free, just as He has promised.
Related Reading
John 17:17; John 6:22; John 16:13
Worship Resource
I Am They: Scars
Donate
If you are blessed by these daily devotionals please prayerfully consider a donation to support Wisdom Hunters Resources. We are trusting the Lord for His provision.
Download our app!
