Recently, I was asked a very thought-provoking question: Do I trust Jesus to heal me? I think I do, but I like to take questions to God and see what He reveals. God quickly reminded me of His truth in His Word:

Isaiah 61:1b,3b (NLT):

“He has sent me (Jesus) to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that the captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.”

Jesus relates to our woundedness because of His own experience with being wounded. Isaiah 53:3,4b,5b (NLT) reminds us:

“He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.”

We are assured of this truth in Isaiah in Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT):

“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy [longsuffering, compassion, kindness], and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

Based on the Word of God and 55 years of life experience walking with Him, I can say: yes, I trust Jesus to heal me. But what does that look like?

Once I decide to trust Him, I must also choose to invite Jesus into my wounded places and acknowledge my need for Him. This isn’t a one-time event, it is a daily journey of conversation with the Father.

I recall facing my own sexual abuse, 55 years after the fact. One evening, the Father spoke gently to my heart, reminding me that I had never told Him about the abuse. He wanted me to come to Him and share my experience. It was a precious time of experiencing God’s care, concern, and deep love.

I must also let go of coping mechanisms, such as—but not limited to—pornography, overeating, emotional dependency, masturbation, alcohol, drugs, shopping, and cutting. It is so easy to turn to these mechanisms rather than to Jesus. I catch myself when I do, as the Holy Spirit alerts me that I am resorting to these habits, and I need to turn around (repent) and come to the Father. The Holy Spirit is our helper. We are not left alone on this journey.

Remember, if you find yourself returning to coping mechanisms, you are trusting in your control rather than in God’s. Don’t hide from God. Go to Him, confess what you are doing or tempted to do, and ask for His help in turning back around to Him. Again, remember: He delights in you and is thrilled to come to your aid.

Because of the wounding, I may believe lies about myself. I must replace those lies with the Father’s truth. In other words, take my thoughts captive. Once again, the Holy Spirit is our helper. Time spent in the Word and in conversation with the Father also brings the needed truth for healing.

It is vital that I sit and learn who God really is; otherwise, I will drown under layers of wrong thinking about God and even about myself, and I may avoid spending time in His Word or in conversation with Him. This stalls—and can even stop—healing.

Healing is hard and messy work. Ed Welch in his booklet Eating Disorders encourages us to “start by admitting how reluctant you are… Now listen to what you are saying…” (p. 14).

“I need something.”

“I must be in control.”

“I am hurt. I want to feel nothing.”

“I am angry. I will show them.”

“I am disgusting. I will be who I am and do something disgusting.”

“I am empty, alone. I want to feel full.”

“If only I could be nothing.”

The truth is: all you have to do is turn to Him and speak honestly, and He will meet you.

Praise be to our Father God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, who are always available, approachable, and never slumber!