Do not fear, for I am with you …. I am your God

The first step in any 12-step program, is coming out of denial. Many times, it takes a major crisis to come to the point of admitting that there is a problem. This is particularly true of the major addictions for example drugs, alcohol etc. But we can be in denial over a whole host of lesser issues. Jeremiah 6:14 in TLB puts it this way “ You can’t heal a wound by saying it’s not there!” Part of what I am trying to say here, is that all of us have inner wounds from the past, and many of us for better or for worse, have simply learned to live with them. But the thief many times uses wounds not dealt to rob us of the abundant life we are promised (John 10:10).

Wounds not dealt with can keep us stuck. And it is subtle, because the victim or the martyr mentality can have its own rewards as we can get a certain sympathy from others. We can be stuck in the past, or stuck in the future. We tell ourselves when this or that happens, then I will be happy. There is a recovery saying that is so relevant here it is “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome.” Perhaps denial is not the right description of this type of scenario but either way wounds not dealt with fester. And the fact of the matter it that we will not attain fullness of life with unaddressed wounds.

There seems many times, to be a strong resistance to dealing with wounds from the past. And part of this is that it is scary, I mean revisiting the past can be painful, even causing us to be re-traumatize. But it is the past that needs to be healed, and the past cannot be healed unless we revisit it in the right way. And the right way is to revisit the past with the Lord so He can heal, to revisit it, not to get stuck there, but to allow the Lord to redeem it. Yes it is scary, but as this morning's verse from Isaiah 41:10 tells us, we do not need to fear for He is with us, and He has promised that when we go through the waters, we will not be overwhelmed (Isaiah 43:2).

Father, I want to ask You this morning to show me anything in my life that I am not seeing, that is robbing me of moving to the next level of the abundant life. I know Lord that there is always more, more of Your abundance, and more that needs to be dealt with. Thank You that You are with me, that You are my God and I am your child. Thank You that as I put my trust fully in You, life unfolds as it should. In Jesus Name Amen.