Lights, Camera, Action

At the beginning of this year I posted this devotion and I wanted to re-share with hope that it will minister to someone today.

I’m not much of an action movie fan, but not my husband; he loves them. A common type scene is when the main character is in combat mode with the enemy. How many times have you witnessed an action movie character continue to fight after they’ve been shot or defeat an evil mercenary despite the fact they’ve been stabbed in the leg multiple times? It seems like they are impervious to pain because they continue to engage the enemy, but that is an inaccurate assumption. What is really happening is an emission of adrenaline overpowering their pain receptors. It isn’t until they stop fighting and are left in the quietness of their victory when they look down and notice their clothes are stained with their own blood.

That is when pain sets in.

Pain comes when they realize that they’ve been seriously injured. It is at this moment they have to make a choice to seek medical attention. There will be situations in our life that will force us to stop dead in our tracks. We are the action star of our lives, working and living life while being seriously injured. Deep wounds and merciless memories may resurface and we may experience a new level of anxiety. If you’ve looked down and realized that you are emotionally and spiritually bleeding out, it’s not over, there is hope. 

If you’ve ever disappointed God (sinned against, miserably failed, ignored truth), if you’ve ever been hurt by someone (felt betrayed, abused by a trusted friend, a loved one), or if you’ve ever felt like God let you down (the miracle did not come, the answer to your prayer was not what you expected) you are not alone. There is hope.

Healing takes time; please do not be discouraged if it takes more than one prayer, and longer than one day. If you look one day, you may see a scar, but do not be disheartened.

You can view your scar one of two ways. A scar can represent what happened to you. When you look at yourself you see someone who is defective and defeated. Or, a scar can define who you are as a warrior.

Scars prove that you have been in a battle and you have won, you have endured, and you did not give up.

Oftentimes people shy away from quiet moments. We allow the adrenaline of busyness to consume our lives because when we are alone with our thoughts or have a few moments to ourselves without anyone needing us, we realize there are unresolved issues that we have been avoiding. You can’t steer a parked car and, consequently, you can’t grow if you’re stuck in the past.

Wounds will not heal if they are pierced again and again.

You may be inclined to ignore the warning signs that have materialized, but think of these emotions that have been excavated as a sign of hope. It is not God’s will for you to live stressed, anxious, ashamed, or angry.

God, in His mercy, desires you to not only be healed, but to be made whole.

Let’s meditate on these scriptures this morning:

• Isaiah 26:3, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

• Psalm 121:1-2, I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

• Psalm 91:1-11, He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

If there’s a little fire or an open wound in your life, take some time and tend to your injury so you can heal. Jesus is our great physician and He cares about everything you are going through.