The older I become, the more aware I am of humanity’s emotional condition reflecting that of a wide open wound. The truth is, everyone is covered in scabs and bandages from past and present hurt and brokenness.

In my experience, interacting with hurting people provides an opportunity to share the grace of Jesus so His love may be made known to them in their brokenness. In fact, the Lord has directed me to a particular hair salon in order that He might speak life into a stylist’s divorce and abusive situation. He has given me a new career where co-workers were unable to be set free from their childhood traumas.  He has partnered with me at a playground in order that I might pray and speak encouragement to a mom who had lost her eighth-month old child. And He has provided opportunities through the daily people I meet in grocery stores, movie theaters, libraries, churches, pools, and fitness centers. In fact, each encounter with someone reminds me of our desperate need for hope in our open wounds. 

Open wounds are painful.

So painful that we as a society, and in some ways as a church, have learned to alleviate our pain by pouring salt in someone else’s wound. You may have heard this phrase before, but it is worth repeating: hurt people hurt people. And this unhealthy and unsuccessful solution is why our Nation has turned into a cut-throat society.

People are hurting.

But how do we, as Christians, help when we ourselves may be hurting, too? The truth is, our sin-infested humanity has been struggling with the repercussions of sin since the Garden of Eden. Being hurt is guaranteed in some form or fashion while we are on this side of eternity. Understanding that there is only One Man who walked wound free before being wounded on our behalf is the first step towards freedom from our bleeding.

When I first began to understand what needed to happen on my end to heal from my open wounds, I was unwilling to do it. Open wounds were reminders of everyone who had hurt me and everyone who didn’t deserve to be in my life. Open wounds were the fuel for my revengeful desires. Open wounds meant I was justified to treat those who had hurt me with the same intentional infliction. Ironically, keeping my wounds open was the only relief I had from the everyday reminder of betrayal, rejection, and brokenness.

Perhaps the most difficult decision I made was when I finally decided to allow Jesus to address each wound individually. The pain was excruciating, not because Jesus was unfaithful, but because I had enabled the wounds to sink deeper and deeper into the innermost parts of my soul. These wounds had become poisonous roots that invaded every aspect of my life; even the slightest triggers would send paralyzing pain throughout my soul.

I needed Jesus; He was and is the only Hope I had to freedom.

As Christians, we cannot afford to have wounds unattended. Our nation is depending on the children of God to bring forth healing freedom as a result of knowing and living with Jesus. When we surrender our lives to Jesus, we surrender our open wounds, too. Holding onto our hurt diminishes the power of the Cross and everything the Cross stands for.

Trust me, I know it’s hard to let go. But if we are going to be sent to a broken world, we need to seek wholeness in Christ every time someone wounds us. This means acknowledging each temptation to hold on to the bitterness and revenge and replace them with the forgiveness and redemption of Jesus. It means immersing your heart in scripture and embracing the influence of the Holy Spirit. It means making prayer a priority to your soul and  for the souls of your enemies. It means getting personal with God and releasing every emotion you feel in the safety of His love. Only then will He be able to move and work through you to minister to a lost and hurting nation.