Hurting And In Need Of More Than A Band Aid
Accidents do happen
It is a fact of life that accidents happen. Sometimes, when accidents happen we get hurt. Most of the time these accidents just result in scrapes and bruises, but occasionally our wounds are more severe. The fact is, sometimes when we are hurting we need more than a band aid.
When that happens we need medical attention. Depending on how bad our problem is we can even end up in the emergency room. In the natural, we seek (if possible) the care we need so that we fully recover from whatever ails us.
Of course seeking appropriate medical attention is just common sense. No one puts a band aid on a gash requiring stitches. Everyone seeks, as much as possible, healing commensurate with their trauma.
Not all wounds are physical
However, not all wounds are physical. Sometimes our anguish is mental, emotional, spiritual, or some combination of all three. Depending on the severity, sometimes when we are hurting like this we need more than a band aid also.
I liken the church, often times, to a trauma ward. Spiritually broken and hurting people come to Christ because they need the great physician.
Churches often hurt as much as they help
Unfortunately, churches often cause as much pain as the seek to heal. Ridged rules cut and wound the very people that they are supposed to help. A “one size fits all” Christianity often seeks to treat everyone the same leaving those who do not fit in to their mold bleeding on the floor. Worse yet, leaders who wish to protect their positions, inflict wounds upon those who threaten their way of life. In fact, in some churches the outcasts outnumber the congregations.
When you are hurting it is all about your pain
When we are hurting all we can think about is our pain. Our whole world focuses on us and until we find relief we can think of little else. We call this being incapacitated. Sometimes a band aid and a few days will do the trick but often times we need a whole lot more medical attention to heal properly.
Likewise, sometimes a quick prayer and a verse is all we need to feel better. However, many times our emotional and spiritual wounds are so server that our churches are not equipped or sometimes even unwilling to help us.
Most people are not whole even if they say they are
I don’t think I have ever met anyone who does not carry around a great deal of pain. Saved or unsaved, many people seem to be masking great wounds that they received throughout their lives. When you ask them how they are doing they smile and say “Praise God, I am doing good.” However, as you look into their eyes you know they are dying inside. Essentially, they lie to your about their true condition because they assume you don’t really care enough to hear the truth.
One aspect of spiritual connections and God’s Divine Love, is that we actually do start to truly care about the condition of those God unites us with. God loves through us and so we feel as He does towards our spiritual connections. We automatically trust God and so we open up in ways and in areas that we previously hid because they were too painful. Thus, true healing takes place and we begin to become whole.
We mask our pain
Bad habits or behaviors are often times just outward signs of inward pain. People act out in unpleasant ways to cope with mental, emotional, or spiritual trauma. Sometimes these survival mechanism result in addictions that take over and do great harm. However, to the addicted person the trade off between being in pain or suffering the affects of addiction seem worth it.
God heals us through spiritual connections
Spiritual connections give us hope. When we feel the love of God through another brother or sister we begin to believe that we can be healed. Even though the process may be difficult, because we believe we can be pain free, we try harder and allow the great physician to tend to our wounds.
In conclusion, spiritual connections are the way in which God unites and heals His body of believers. It is a necessary step in the perfection of the saints. Without unity we can never reach maturity. Without healing our pain will continue to prevent that unity.
Come out of her My people and be ye separate
Finally, there are big changes coming to the Body of Christ. The Spirit is about to bring a sword of division in the congregations of this world. As God comes to His vineyard, some will let Him in but many will not. The great falling away does not mean people will leave church. The apostasy that is taking place means those who reject Christ will stay in the religious system. It is the elect that will leave and become separate so that they can worship God in Spirit and in Truth. God says,
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
2 Corinthians 6:17
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