I Need Distractions

How many would say, “I always have to be doing something. If I sit still too long, I have to find some form of distraction. Otherwise, I feel anxious, or uneasy.” Perhaps, now would be a good time to do a self-inventory by asking the Holy Spirit to show you why you can’t sit still. In some cases, people have need of a healing, but are unaware of it. The inability to be at rest is one sign. “I feel fine, it’s just the way I’m wired.” Are you sure?
   Try this on for size. Get alone, sit quietly for at least ten minutes with no distractions. No phone, music, television, alcohol, or CBD for that matter. Just you and a quiet room. No one else. In the process, put away your “mental things to do list.” This would be a great time to focus on God, and listen for His voice. See what comes up. By the way, distractions may also be an indication one is avoiding God, because one wants to do his or her own thing. Call it obedience-avoidance if you like. At least, in some cases.

Other Signs

There other signs a person has unresolved issues. Keep in mind, everyone experiences some form of trauma or another. Each to varying degrees. It is important to avoid comparisons. Some believe, since they did not go through something as horrendous as another person, their experience does not count. It’s not worth considering. If something is interfering with your life, it is big enough. There will always be someone who has gone through something worse than us. Of course, that may help keep you from feeling sorry for yourself.
   Here are few clues to consider. One is unexplained emotions, or behavior. For instance, feeling resentment, or even anger toward someone you meet for the first time. Does it make sense to feel such emotions when you’ve never interacted with that person before? It may be the individual reminds you of someone who did you wrong, and you haven’t forgiven him, or her.
   Sudden unexplained bursts of anger in certain circumstances. It could be something as simple as blowing up over spilled milk. In this example, someone may have had a volatile parent who exploded when he spilled milk at the table as a young child. The sudden wrath caused fear, which is traumatic to a toddler. That trauma was stored in the body, and under certain circumstances, it comes out in anger. It may surface as unexplained anxiety. It’s why some react to certain situations just the parent did; even though, they swore they would never treat their child the same way.
   Another indication is sudden fear, or timidity. Under the wrong circumstances, even the toughest of the tough can be reduced to feeling like an insecure child. The confident, decisive individual can freeze when situations mimic something in the past. Unexplained anxiety keeps people from moving forward, to include trying new things. They are stuck in risk-avoidance mode. Some had to live up to unrealistic expectations, and were constantly reminded of their failing to fulfill those expectations. The fear of failure keeps them from doing things which they are capable.
   These are just few examples to get the ball rolling. Again, ask the Holy Spirit to show you what you need to see.

Embrace the Healing

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.
   The Lord never intended for us to carry such heavy loads. Those loads interfere with us being conformed to His image. Sometimes they keep us from being that kind person we’ve always wanted to be. They interfere with relationships. How many are imprisoned emotionally? God does not want that for us.
   Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised (oppressed), To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
   Allow the Holy Spirit to minister to you. Let Him bring you the clarity, and wisdom you require to release, and forgive. Give up the addiction to stress. Allow yourself to be loved by Him, and in so doing, you will be able to love others well. Our Lord is worthy of your healing!
   Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely, He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.

perfectfaith.org

Healing Journeys

How many individuals talk about their healing journey? Question: is that actually biblical for Christians? The answer could be yes and no. When some talk about said journey, they center on a single issue, or perhaps a few, and turn it into a lifelong expedition. Do you suppose the Lord intended for us to carry emotional pain for years and years? Did He intend for us to carry trauma our entire life? Does He actually want us to dwell on our past, or perhaps more accurately, live there?
Healing journeys can turn pain into pets, which tend to keep one self-centered. They cause us to center on issues that are not in keeping with ones of which God might want us to focus. Such as repentance, loving others well and much more. It may actually rob Him of glory, and the honor He deserves. Especially when you consider why Jesus came to the earth. Have you considered so-called healing journeys are a form of bondage?
Some circle around their pain like those who circle around a fire and roast marshmallows. They are mesmerized by their hurts like those who gaze into the fire, and cannot turn their gaze from its hot embers. Ironically, focusing on the past continuously pierces the heart, while a campfire warms it, and the fire of God heals it. If one were to release his past, he might find the campfire far more enjoyable. Hmmm.
What does the Bible say about these things?  

Jesus Came to Heal the Brokenhearted

Luke 4:18,19,21 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. . . And He began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.
Jesus clearly says, “He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted.” To heal means to cure, or make whole. There is no partially healed about it. It is important to note that what Jesus said is what He meant. While He suffered for our sake, and we suffer for His sake (to varying degrees), He did not intend for us suffer from our past. All of us have, and/or will get hurt. Pain is inevitable; nonetheless, we do not have to endure it for the rest of our lives.
Jesus also said, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” He did not say will be fulfilled, and that means a broken heart does not have to wait until Heaven to be made whole.
Moreover Jesus said, “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:16-17).
What are some byproducts of Holy Spirit being with us? Love, joy, and peace, along with the rest of the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). Is suffering attached to these? Another consideration is some of the ways He shows up, which is known as the manifestation of the Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. One element listed is gifts of healing (verse nine). Notice its plural form, which points to the whole person (spirit, heart, soul, mind and body).
The point is there is healing for a broken heart, and for any trauma someone may be carrying. Without doing a deep dive, trauma is caused by a painful, stressful, or shocking experience. It is found or stored in the body (primarily the brain), which causes various emotional responses. It is not necessary to go through years of therapy in order to get better, or as some people think of it, cope with the pain.
Healing does not include coping with suffering, because there is nothing with which to cope when someone is healed. That being said, counseling with others can be beneficial with the help of Holy Spirit.

The Healing Process

Unexplainable emotional reactions and behavior are symptoms of trauma. There’s something under the surface that is trying manifest. When you cannot figure why certain things “trigger” you, which cause you to behave in ways that are not in character, that is a good time to seek counsel.
Holy Spirit does bring direct clarity when we ask for wisdom, but there may be times He leads us to others. They can help us sift through the muck, and see what is getting the in the way, as He guides the conversation. He may give that person a word of knowledge and/or a word of wisdom (see 1 Corinthians 12:8). The word of knowledge reveals what is going on, and the word of wisdom reveals the how to do deal with it. We actually do need each other. We can help one another see blinds spots, and point them out. As fun as that might be to the recipient, it does require humility to receive.
When clarity comes, so comes the opportunity to release the pain, and receive His perfect healing for us. He may simply ask you, “What do you want to do with it?” At which point you are given a choice: either release it, or keep it.” Sometimes the release means forgiving others, yourself, an event, or even God, Himself. Even though He is God, people sometimes hold Him in unforgiveness, even if they do not want to admit it.
Anecdotally speaking, I have found that once I have been healed, I may recall painful events, but I see them from a third person perspective. It’s like watching a movie about someone else’s experience, while being emotionally detached. It is as if the events never happened, and have no hold on my life. We can learn from our past, but we are not supposed to live there and suffer.
 Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.    

perfectfaith.org

Masks Don’t Comfort

Many are walking through life with pain they don’t have to carry. It has turned to suffering, because of its ongoing in nature. You have those who put on a mask, trying to pretend it doesn’t exist. It’s as if they hide it from others, it will go away. Then there’s the ones who seek to soothe their pain through various vices, which exacerbates the problem. They actually add suffering to what’s there already. In short, masks don’t comfort.

By design, masks conceal our true nature. They cover the feelings of vulnerability, and hide our weaknesses; or so we think. You could say they came into existence in the garden of Eden. What did Adam and Eve do after they ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil? And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons (Genesis 3:7).

They created a false covering (which points to false religions as well) in order to hide their vulnerability. Stating the obvious, it hid nothing from God; in fact, it put distance between them and Him (see Genesis 3:8-24).

People do the very same thing today. Instead of running to the One Who could heal them of their pain and suffering, they run from Him. They seek to comfort themselves; instead of seeking the Comforter, which makes matters worse. One result is guilt, shame and condemnation compounding the issue, especially when they try numb themselves from their affect. It’s a vicious cycle that is totally unnecessary.

Remove the Mask and Find Comfort

John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Jesus said His Word is truth, and truth is the very thing people need to be truly free. They cannot expect to be free if they continue living a lie. There comes a point in which they must face reality head on, and that may include repentance. Without honesty there is no freedom.

Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Masks are carnal, therefore, the flesh hates the Word of God, because it exposes darkness. It sheds light on the root causes of the suffering, which can be painful. Especially, if it involves people closest to you. However, when the root is removed, so goes the suffering. Of course, it also brings to light anything else contrary to the nature of God. We are created in His image, and are called to be conformed to the image of Jesus. Those things are interfering with our design.

Nevertheless, there is a gentleness to His Word. As we spend time with Him and in the Bible, a renewal process takes place. This process changes the way think, which also changes our very core. The more we think like Him, the more we conform to Him.

Take heart, He wants to heal everyone. Sometimes, we overlook what the Cross signifies to us in relation to what He is willing to do for us. In fact, He wants to do these things.

Romans 8:31-32 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

The extent to which God went to reconcile us unto Himself, reveals His generous nature by which He gives good things. That includes healing, which is part of the redemption story. Throw away the mask, and throw your arms around Him.

www.perfectfaith.org