Café Chat June 13th

Today's Topic:

Is there a deep hurt in your life/heart that you have not let God heal yet? If yes, are you ready to let God begin the work of healing your heart?

For those of you that answered "no" to the question above, has there been a hurt from your past that God has healed? If so, was the healing instant or a process?

I am blessed in my spiritual health these days. I am happy to report a well-being that allows me to answer "no" to the first question. In February I posted about an incident when God graced me with almost instant relief from my emotional pain. Another trial was a process - on both sides. The wounds built up over time and the healing took time. Over the period of a few months, there were a number of discussions with my small group that left me believing the group was better off without me. I prayed about it long and hard. My feelings had been hurt in that I truly believed these women didn't actually like me. They might love me as we're commissioned to love one another, like sisters love one another, but I suspected that I was an irritant like a burr under the saddle.

Fortunately, about that time work got very busy and I was not able to join our weekly discussions. God at work? I have no doubt. Time and distance allowed me to spend time in conversation with our Father. His consolations for me? "I am your God. My opinion of you is all that matters. Seek my approval and none other. I love you. You are mine." Over and over, on and on. "I am your counselor. I am your friend. Keep your eyes on me. Look to me when you are lost and I will guide you."

After a while, I found that I was healed. And coincidentally (not!) work lightened up and I was able to rejoin my friends. I know that as an obedient child of God I may occasionally be called to say something that convicts one of my sisters. Not because I'm being hurtful but because we are meant to be accountable to one another. Their words back to me may or may not be based on an emotional reaction. If I'm hurt, I must take it to God and let the Spirit guide me to a place of healing - either accepting the words as counsel or rejecting them by His counsel.