Working Wounded

I was slicing an orange, and I sliced my thumb. Yep… you read it correctly, I sliced my thumb. Just deep enough for me to freak out.

So, you’re probably thinking what my brother actually said when I told him what happened: “Wait… what? You’re not supposed to slice oranges. Who does that?”

Well, I did, and I had a good reason.

See, I wanted the slices in my water because I like the flavor, but it didn’t quite work out the way I’d planned. After I’d missed the orange, I ran cold water over the cut, cleaned it, and put a bandage over it. I thought I’d done pretty well – I even went to get my nails done after it happened.

I did the whole clean and bandage thing for a few days because, well, it wouldn’t heal. I actually think that I should have gotten a stitch or two (the cut was that deep), but I wasn’t thinking. I bumped my thumb a few times and it seemed to get worse. Finally, I put Neosporin on it and that aided in the healing process.

After using the ointment, I noticed that the wound never closed, but the skin around the cut begin to dry out and die (sorry for the TMI). Once I was able to get rid of the dead skin, my thumb was able to heal. But it wasn’t until that area was clear of dead skin that the process could begin to take place.

Get Rid of the Dead Things

So often in life, we are wounded… hurt, and in our own opinion, beyond repair. And so often, we try to fix our open wounds on our own, just like I did with the water and bandage. We write things off as part of the process and wonder why stuff does more than sting when it’s too close to that raw area.

We “bump” our open wound when we see a certain person or when someone talks about that old job or significant other, and it hurts. We try to go on as if it never happened, as I did by going to the nail shop.

It is imperative that we allow God to fix and dress our wounds. Let Him be the ointment that helps our process along. And, once the “Ointment” is applied, we have got to stop allowing that hurtful thing back into our lives. Yep… cut that dead skin off.

So, What’s the Play Call?

I know it can be difficult to go through the healing process when you’ve been hurt. But I also know that healing is possible. Here are a few things to remember as your “thumb” heals:

1. God wants to heal you, He’s just waiting for you to ask Him to. “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.” Jeremiah 17:4
2. Trust God more than you trust those around you. Many times, we add to our hurt by trusting people who never follow through with their end of the bargain. Let God be your most trusted source. “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Psalms 118:8
3. Let God dress your wounds. Sometimes we cover up our wounded places with things that we have determined to be our helpers. It could be work, “going out”, drinking, drugs, sex, or any number of other things. Those things only provide temporary relief, and often with consequences. “I will search for my lost ones who strayed away, and I will bring them safely home again. I will bandage the injured and strengthen the weak. But I will destroy those who are fat and powerful. I will feed them, yes—feed them justice!” Ezekiel 34:16 NLT
4. It’s okay not to know. As humans, we have a tendency to not want to admit when we don’t have the answer. In your healing process, be honest with God about what you need and just as you must stop putting trust in others, you have got to stop leaning on your own expertise. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

Your wounds will heal, but it is the process you choose that determines the length of time it will take. The “do it yourself” approach only prolongs it. Let God do it for you.