"I am the God that Heals you." Exodus 15:26

Imagine what you would look like if you didn't have any bones. You'd be a glob of flesh because there would be no structure to your body. If you didn't have a skeletal system, what would change? You would be limited in movement and motion. You would not be able to raise your arms in worship.

Imagine what little you would experience if you didn't have emotions. While that may sound good at times, but you would miss out on so much of life. Why? Because emotions range from anger to joy, disappointment to delight, sadness to hope and anxiety to peace, to name a few. Emotions are part of God’s design in every one of us!

Both bones and emotions require proper nourishment to stay healthy. If they do not receive what they need to grow and become strong, we are likely to have ongoing issues.

The other thing that both bones and emotions have in common is that they can easily break. I’ve noticed that many times bone actually heal faster than emotions. If a leg or foot bone doesn’t heal correctly it can cause a serious limp for years to come. When our emotions are wounded, our mind and spirit can experience serious struggles in order to get through life in a heathy manner.

I believe that the growing mental stresses and anxieties that people are facing around the world, particularly in America, is a huge sign that we are living in the last days. We are a nation swimming in prescription pills to just get through another day, we are a people drowning in alcohol to escape our anxieties, and we are a culture so doped up because we’re so worn out with all the stress, anxiety, and fear that we carry in our minds day after day. There’s a huge sign hanging over America today that reads – “We’ve lost hope!”

With the breakdown of the family, the breakup of relationships, and the fallout of traditional values – it’s hard to see how we can keep a healthy mindset. And then seeing all the chaos in our politics, commotion in our cities, and cracks in our economy, let alone all the pain and suffering that billions of people are experiencing around the world right now, how do we keep from slipping into a mental coma so we can escape it all?

There are many ways our emotions become wounded. It can be the pain of the school years—the teasing, name-calling, and exclusion. It can be the trauma of an abusive childhood or marriage. The horror of rape. The memories of war. The heartache of losing a loved one. The devastation of a terminal illness diagnosis.

Emotional wounding cause many people to hide from life, wear a mask in order to pretend that the wounds aren't there, or bury the emotional pain.

Emotional wounding can be healed by God so that rather than being left with an emotional limp for life, we have a testimony to the glory of God.

The emotional healing journey requires courage to trust God's healing. It can be challenging to be vulnerable. There is no shame in seeking help. God has given us biblical principles and promises when it comes to life’s hurts. And as your pastor, I’m always here for you!

James 1:5 states that if any of us asks God for wisdom, He will give it. Don't back off and sink into your pain; instead, grab onto God and step into your healing. Trust God with your wounded emotions and He will bring you healing in ways you never dreamed possible.

So, what do bones and emotions have in common? Both can heal. When we are talking about emotional healing, the issue becomes do you want to limp through life, or do you want to experience God’s complete healing? You are created to walk in healing, experience emotional health, and experience the fullness of who God has created you to be!

We are too blessed to be stressed!

Pastor Dave