Listen on:
Addressing wounds is vital because of what Dr. James Reeves calls the emotional/spiritual principle. It states, “You can never be more spiritually mature than you are emotionally mature.” Why? Well, when we’ve been hurt we often develop bitterness; we isolate; we believe lies about ourselves, God, and others; we inhibit God’s work in our lives; we sin. When we sin, our intimacy with God and others is stifled.
Matthew 22:36-40 ESV
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
In Scripture, the measure of our maturity and love for God is directly linked to our ability to love others. The degree to which we love others is directly correlated with our ability to love ourselves, and our ability to love ourselves is directly correlated to our ability to love God and understand who He truly is.
By identifying and working through our emotional wounds with loving and accepting people, we begin to see God for who He truly is, a loving and personal Father. As that happens, we begin to see ourselves as God sees us, as someone who is loved, valuable, and adequate. These beliefs take root experientially, in our hearts, growing us closer to God and others. This is true discipleship.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 ESV
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
But discipleship is not meant just for your own benefit. Jesus wants us to bless others! Try to get a vision of what God might do in your life through this. We witness the power of vision in Jesus’ life in Hebrews 12:2, who “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.” That joy was receiving “all authority on heaven and earth” (Matthew 28:18) and giving you and I the “right to become children of God” (John 1:12). Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33), is ruling and reigning over all that is going on in this time (Psalm 47:8), and will one day make all things right and new (Revelation 21). What hope we have in Him!
Think back on challenges you’ve faced in the past and how God got you through them. You’re still here. You’re reading this. You made it through! Think of how you might be able to help others in the future because you’re gaining victory over your own struggles. Keep going. Hold on to hope.
Romans 5:1-5 ESV
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
God, thank You for the healing You have for me. Help me to walk forward with hope, vision, and purpose.
Romans 8:28 ESV
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Hale Ministries
Andi and Brian Hale have a long history of ministry service, including 20+ years for each of them as AWANA Leaders and Teachers. Andi directed the Zion Evangelical Church Choir for 10 years and is now on the Praise Team for the largest church in Texoma (North Texas and Southern Oklahoma). She has had the opportunity to sing and pray with Avalon and Casting Crowns and landed the lead role in GREASE (50+ version) as Sandy at Wichita Falls Backdoor Theater. Brian has a long history in the media, including Radio, TV, Newspaper, PA Announcer, Social Media and On-Stage in front of thousands. As website designers of more than 25 years, they are always eager to help answer any questions you might have.
Together, Brian and Andi are out to prove that you can still have fun in your 50’s in this crazy, upside down world we live in today, as long as we keep our focus on Him, the One who created us for a purpose!
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