What A Mess

Healing is a word that often brings with it a sense of being hopeful, expectant, excited, relieved, happy, and joyful.

These are the promised results of healing, to be whole. Yet most do not consider the process.

The reality is that healing is messy.

Consider a physical issue for a moment......a decaying abscessed tooth.

This is a painful issue but it did not happen overnight but rather slowly, with bacteria wearing down the enamel. However, if not cared for, this decaying abcessed tooth can actually begin spreading to your gums, jaw, sinuses and get into your blood stream. Once it gets in your bloodstream this is a condition called sepsis, which is a potentially fatal bacterial infection of the blood.

Antibiotics are used to kill the infection and then the dentist pulls the tooth out. The dentist must make sure that the entire root is removed to avoid a new infection. Anyone who has had a tooth pulled knows this leaves a gaping bloody hole in your gums. There is swelling, precautions on what to eat and to avoid specific activities such as drinking from a straw. Each of these erect boundaries necessary for optimum healing. Within 48 hours there is a complete ceasing of blood flow and the swelling and pain begin to subside as the healing process is fully under way.

Healing is much like this in our Spiritual, mental, emotional areas as well. The infection, (bitterness, offense, hatred, disappointments, unforgiveness, unmet and unrealistic expectations) must be identified. The Holy Spirit is our Counselor.

John 14:26 shares "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

The medicine is forgiveness applied through the Blood of Jesus.

Just like the healing of the tooth, there must be a pulling out of the decayed root.

One must bear the bloody and swollen processes involved with enduring the pulling/cutting out of the rotted area to begin the work of a complete healing. Once the root is wrestled out, gauze and pressure applied stops the bleeding. Then the swelling to edure as the wound closes, absent of any rotted or infected material. Over time, the gaping swollen hole will be filled with new healthy flesh. The soreness subsides, and the area can be used again without pain, but with new boundaries. One cannot tolerate the same types of food items in the area now absent of the tooth. The new flesh cannot grind the tougher, harder food items without making the gum area sore.

In the same way, once there has been healing in an area of one's life, new boundaries are erected to prevent unnecessary soreness and pain. One cannot tolerate the same spiritual foods in their diet.

Wisdom and prudence are borne with the first step towards full healing. But these fruits are only matured in the process, during the journey. Being humble, serving those that mistreat you, respecting another's free will right to choose to self-destruct while asking you NOT to share the solution, praying for those who place themselves on the opposite side of forgiveness, who plot against you, yet you continue to pray for their soul.....

Forgiveness is messy especially when all human logic says youre justified to feel owed retribution by the one who wronged you....

I pray in these "justified" moments we would recall that we, too, need forgiveness.

Remember Who He Is! Forgiveness was beaten, carried His Cross, was NAILED to it and Hung until He gave up His Spirit. He took all, asked no payment, no retribution!

HE says come and freely take of My sacrifice. See My Love for you is Complete. Come and take til your cup overflows! Now freely give!