Proper wound healing takes place from the inside out. Dry sockets after having my wisdom teeth out was my first experience with improper healing. The pain from having the holes in my mouth heal on the surface before the inside was healed was unforgettable. I had another up close experience with this when my sister’s wound didn’t heal correctly after a surgery. A wound care nurse would come to the house and scrub out the incision and pack it with gauze. Slowly, less gauze was needed as the incision healed and became smaller. Watching the nurse care for my sister left images I will never forget.

Often, we think past wounds are just that, in the past particularly emotional wounds. We think they are gone, or they are no longer impacting our lives. Then something happens, and we are “triggered.” We over react to a situation. We lash out in anger. We are overcome with worry. Maybe memories come rushing back, as well.

We may not connect the dots. We think we are sensitive, quick to anger, or a worrier. We fail to see that it is an unhealed wound impacting our everyday lives. Emotional wound healing takes place from the inside out the same way a physical wound heals. Failure to heal from the inside out leaves us stuck repeating the same patterns over and over.

Then they were on the road. They preached with joyful urgency that life can be radically different; right and left they sent the demons packing; they brought wellness to the sick, anointing their bodies, healing their spirits. (Mark 6:12-13 MSG).

Jesus offers healing of the whole person. Life can be radically different when we heal the wound from the inside out. Recently with the help of a trained professional, I went back to the 4 year old me. The 4 year old was scared of a very angry dad who drank too much and hit too hard. The professional helped me let go of fear. Through visualization I could see my dad and Jesus. I could hear Dad apologize. I could feel a weight lift off my chest. After crying a bucket of tears, I felt restored. Jesus had brought healing again, healing from the inside out.

Wound healing is hard. It takes courage. It takes determination. It takes Jesus. It’s only through Jesus that deep wounds have been healed. I spent years trying on my own without success. While there are still some wounds to heal, there are fewer triggers, smaller reactions, less worry and tremendous joy.

How have you experienced healing? Do you have wounds you have been trying to ignore? Share your experience here and breathe life and bring hope to others.