Last month I was on an airplane. For those who know me well that is a huge deal! Flying has always been a source of terror and dread for me. I’ve done it, but with much fear and trembling. As I prepared to board my flight I told my husband how in the past God had not taken away my anxiety while I was on the plane. He encouraged me to keep asking the Lord for peace and comfort. So I did and this time it was better. More importantly, here’s what I learned while soaring through the clouds: sometimes God heals after the cut has been made.
During one of my flights we hit a tremendous amount of turbulence. Maybe for seasoned flyers it wasn’t a lot, but for me it was. I closed my eyes and prayed. I asked God to keep me calm, bring courage to my heart, and glue me to my seat so I didn’t run up and down the aisle screaming and crying. It helps to be specific in your prayers! As I wondered if He would calm my nerves I realized that although He did not in the past, I was ok. Once the flight was over I walked off and was fine. Each time. The emotional stress I felt on the plane vanished once we hit land. Bad choice of words… once we softly landed on the ground. He healed my scarred heart and restored it to a peaceful place. Gratitude of being alive flooded my prayers and once again I was good to go. This time the Lord actually did bring peace to me while I was on the plane, but not before He taught me this lesson. And the lesson was about to become even more real to me the next week...
The doctor told me I needed to have a biopsy. This would make #4. The first one I had was 13 years ago and I was told I had breast cancer. The next three have been scattered over the years and, thankfully, each one has come back with good results. This last one was difficult for my heart, though. More difficult that the previous ones. For the past 13 years I have felt confident that my cancer was a one and done type of experience for me. When I had biopsies #2 and #3 I was more annoyed than worried. This time I was anxious and a bit frustrated. If cancer was not returning why did I have to go through this? Why did I have to be faced with the horrible realization again that cancer had once entered my body and brought with it very difficult days? Why did this cut, this literal cut, have to be made? Honestly, I still do not fully know the answer, but I do know that He completely healed me from all of the physical and emotional cuts I endured through the process. As I said before, He healed my scarred heart and restored it to a peaceful place. Gratitude of being alive flooded my prayers and once again I was good to go.
You see, we are not meant to live with unhealed hearts. I know the conversation about physical healing can be complicated, so we’ll tackle that another day. For now I’m talking about inner healing. Healing of each and every scar of your heart. New ones. Old ones. Scabby ones and infected ones. They all are meant to be healed. The why of the scar does not negate nor prevent the healing. When Jesus touches, He heals all. He doesn’t put on rubber gloves or poke you with a stick from afar. Want to know how He heals? The first time He healed He came down from Heaven, walked on this earth as a man, was put up on a cross, and died to bring life to our dead souls. His blood spilt. His body broke and we were offered eternal healing. Now, He heals by dipping His finger into that blood and wiping it on our wounds. It is the only salve that heals and it heals completely. The beauty of inner healing is that it takes away the fear of the wound resurfacing. I “once was” scared of flying, now I am not. I “once was” faced with fear of my health, now I am not. Wounds from so many other scars have been healed once and for all by His Love.
What is your “once was” experience? Depression? Abuse? Insecurity? Sin issue? Whatever it is healing is available. The Lord is committed to holding you in safety. We must be willing to sit and be held. No wound will keep you from His arms. This life can be hard, but remember we are only passing through...
During one of my flights we hit a tremendous amount of turbulence. Maybe for seasoned flyers it wasn’t a lot, but for me it was. I closed my eyes and prayed. I asked God to keep me calm, bring courage to my heart, and glue me to my seat so I didn’t run up and down the aisle screaming and crying. It helps to be specific in your prayers! As I wondered if He would calm my nerves I realized that although He did not in the past, I was ok. Once the flight was over I walked off and was fine. Each time. The emotional stress I felt on the plane vanished once we hit land. Bad choice of words… once we softly landed on the ground. He healed my scarred heart and restored it to a peaceful place. Gratitude of being alive flooded my prayers and once again I was good to go. This time the Lord actually did bring peace to me while I was on the plane, but not before He taught me this lesson. And the lesson was about to become even more real to me the next week...
The doctor told me I needed to have a biopsy. This would make #4. The first one I had was 13 years ago and I was told I had breast cancer. The next three have been scattered over the years and, thankfully, each one has come back with good results. This last one was difficult for my heart, though. More difficult that the previous ones. For the past 13 years I have felt confident that my cancer was a one and done type of experience for me. When I had biopsies #2 and #3 I was more annoyed than worried. This time I was anxious and a bit frustrated. If cancer was not returning why did I have to go through this? Why did I have to be faced with the horrible realization again that cancer had once entered my body and brought with it very difficult days? Why did this cut, this literal cut, have to be made? Honestly, I still do not fully know the answer, but I do know that He completely healed me from all of the physical and emotional cuts I endured through the process. As I said before, He healed my scarred heart and restored it to a peaceful place. Gratitude of being alive flooded my prayers and once again I was good to go.
You see, we are not meant to live with unhealed hearts. I know the conversation about physical healing can be complicated, so we’ll tackle that another day. For now I’m talking about inner healing. Healing of each and every scar of your heart. New ones. Old ones. Scabby ones and infected ones. They all are meant to be healed. The why of the scar does not negate nor prevent the healing. When Jesus touches, He heals all. He doesn’t put on rubber gloves or poke you with a stick from afar. Want to know how He heals? The first time He healed He came down from Heaven, walked on this earth as a man, was put up on a cross, and died to bring life to our dead souls. His blood spilt. His body broke and we were offered eternal healing. Now, He heals by dipping His finger into that blood and wiping it on our wounds. It is the only salve that heals and it heals completely. The beauty of inner healing is that it takes away the fear of the wound resurfacing. I “once was” scared of flying, now I am not. I “once was” faced with fear of my health, now I am not. Wounds from so many other scars have been healed once and for all by His Love.
What is your “once was” experience? Depression? Abuse? Insecurity? Sin issue? Whatever it is healing is available. The Lord is committed to holding you in safety. We must be willing to sit and be held. No wound will keep you from His arms. This life can be hard, but remember we are only passing through...