“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)
I awoke the other morning dreaming of the healing that God has done in my life, and I want that for everyone. I not only want you to know that Jesus has died for your sins, and all you need do is accept His gift and invite Him into your life, but I want so much more for you.
SO MUCH MORE! WHOLENESS!
Jesus told us that we would have trials and troubles in this world. No one grows up without getting banged around in some way – verbally, circumstantially, emotionally, or physically.
There is a scripture about God redeeming us from the pit.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:2)
Picture this for a moment. You are in that pit of muck that has been piled on you – not only by your sin, but also heaped on you from all the stuff that you’ve been through, from other people’s sin, from life. Some days you feel like you are drowning. Some days you are exhausted from just trying to keep your head above water. But then, two strong but gentle hands lift you out of the muck. You can almost hear the sucking sound as the muck doesn’t want to let you go. Finally, you are out of the pit. Those hands have set you on a rock. It is strong and firm under your feet, but you are still covered in all the stuff from the pit, and sometimes it is slippery and you have trouble standing at all.
God isn’t done saving you just because you have received His free gift of salvation. He doesn’t leave you all goopy! No! He has cleansed you with His Blood, and He washes you off through His Word, but He doesn’t just want us clean, He wants us whole. He wants to heal your heart-wounds from all the trials and troubles you’ve been through.
Sounds almost too good to be true, but it’s not! Papa God is just as concerned about healing your heart as He is about redeeming you.
My prayer for you is that you would know His “so much more,” His unending, beyond-what-what-we-can-even-imagine love and kindness toward you in this New Year … and beyond.
God,
You made me a three-part being,
Body, Soul, and Spirit.
Three parts, just like You!
Please heal all of me.
Even the parts that hurt so much
I can’t even feel them anymore.
I give all of myself to You.
I’m in Good Hands.
And I trust You.
Amen.