Morning Devotional
November  29, 2005
"The Wounded Healer"        
    by Don Emmitte

All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).


Recently I received a note from a dear friend who is going through a very difficult time. There were many issues raging in their life, however the one thing that seemed to be paramount was the underlying question “Why?” I do not pretend to know that answer, but I do know that God promises to comfort us in the midst of our pain. And I know that he expects us to comfort others with the knowledge he gained through our pain. Do not misinterpret my thoughts in this devotional however. I am not saying that God cause pain so that we may learn how to help others. I do not believe God is the source of pain. Our enemy plays that role. God gives us grace and strength to get through the pain and pass the experience on to others to make their way easier. In his book, Beginning Again, Terry Hershey writes:

 

"God not only says that failure is never the final word, but that your area of weakness will become your area of strength. Where you were weak and learned grace will become a means whereby you can reach out and touch the lives of others who need the same good news. God is not only working to heal you, but to heal others through you, to make you what Henri Nouwen called a 'wounded healer.' Such healing doesn't happen through the man or woman who has all the answers. It happens through the man or woman who understands pain and grace. Nouwen explains, 'For a deep understanding of his own pain makes it possible for the [wounded healer] to convert his weaknesses into strength and to offer his experience as a source of healing to those who are often lost in the darkness of their own misunderstood suffering.'"

 

I believe it was Ernest Hemingway who first used the phrase, "Growing strong in the broken places." The idea being that where a bone is broken and heals, it becomes the strongest part of the bone.

 

The same is true of our broken places—where we have been hurt, have fallen, or failed. When we bring these to Christ for his healing, his strength is then made perfect in and through our weaknesses. This is certainly true in ministering effectively to other people. They are helped, not through our brilliant logic, nor persuasive speech, but through the sharing of our struggles, and how, with God's help, we have overcome. It is a case of one beggar showing other beggars where to find bread.

 

This is why the Apostle Paul could say, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Trust God to work your trial toward good. To those who meant it evil toward you, to your enemy who seeks your destruction, God has other plans. Trust him!