As I sit in this cold, slightly dreary hospital room with my wife while she recuperates from an illness, I am reminded of something that I have learned in the last few years. I have learned that all of us, every single soul walking the face of the planet, have things that have wounded us on the inside. Things that require treatment in order to be healed. But in some cases these wounds require surgery to heal. A surgery that can only be performed by the Master Physician.
The one thing that I have learned in 38 years on this earth is this: When He wants to perform this type of surgery it is ALWAYS done in the light. The Master Physician never works in the dark.
But there is a problem, those of us that carry around things inside of us, things that require surgery, have what seems to be an ingrained need to keep those things inside us. What they amount to are spiritual tumors we carry on our hearts and souls. They are hidden from view of the outside world but they are there just the same. The reason: we don't want people to see or know about the ugly things that go on inside our hearts and minds. Things like: unresolved anger towards our father, the habit of viewing porn, thinking we have to have material possessions to matter to others, abuse from a loved one or any other harmful/sinful thing you can think of. We keep these things hidden because we are terrified what those around us might think about us if they knew.
So you and I keep our sickness in the dark, hidden from view. There it grows like a fungus. A tumor that without a life saving surgery will ultimately consume us entirely. We tell ourselves the lie that we can go on living healthy spiritual lives with these hidden tumors in the dark places in our hearts. Brothers and sisters, God did not create you and I to work this way.
David tells us in Psalms 32:3-4 that, “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah” What he is telling me is that his body is wasting away from lack of honesty and confession to God. I have seen this in myself more times that I would really like to admit. I have also learned that silence with God will kill your heart and weaken your spirit. When you and I keep things in the dark, our enemy finds it easier and easier to gain a hold in our lives. He begins to tell us lies that we start to believe about ourselves. He distorts the reality that is our life with darkness and despair. The reality is that everyone has something going on in their lives. The nurse that just walked out the door, maybe her husband is an abusive man and she thinks it is her fault. The lady down the hall, maybe she can't stop secretly cutting herself thus causing the infections that keep her coming back to the hospital. The kid with the bad attitude that flipped you off is getting abused by a trusted family friend. None are alone. We feel alone because we often ultimately choose to remain silent. Silent before God. Silent with our fellow man. Silent within our own heart.
The truth is, that I will never know how many people I come in contact with have been exactly where I am. That can walk with me through my struggles and help me seek the life saving surgery that I need unless I open up and bring the evil and dark things inside me to light for the surgeon. Unless you and I share our hearts with God and with those that He places in our paths we will never know true healing.
The one thing that I have learned in 38 years on this earth is this: When He wants to perform this type of surgery it is ALWAYS done in the light. The Master Physician never works in the dark.
But there is a problem, those of us that carry around things inside of us, things that require surgery, have what seems to be an ingrained need to keep those things inside us. What they amount to are spiritual tumors we carry on our hearts and souls. They are hidden from view of the outside world but they are there just the same. The reason: we don't want people to see or know about the ugly things that go on inside our hearts and minds. Things like: unresolved anger towards our father, the habit of viewing porn, thinking we have to have material possessions to matter to others, abuse from a loved one or any other harmful/sinful thing you can think of. We keep these things hidden because we are terrified what those around us might think about us if they knew.
So you and I keep our sickness in the dark, hidden from view. There it grows like a fungus. A tumor that without a life saving surgery will ultimately consume us entirely. We tell ourselves the lie that we can go on living healthy spiritual lives with these hidden tumors in the dark places in our hearts. Brothers and sisters, God did not create you and I to work this way.
David tells us in Psalms 32:3-4 that, “For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah” What he is telling me is that his body is wasting away from lack of honesty and confession to God. I have seen this in myself more times that I would really like to admit. I have also learned that silence with God will kill your heart and weaken your spirit. When you and I keep things in the dark, our enemy finds it easier and easier to gain a hold in our lives. He begins to tell us lies that we start to believe about ourselves. He distorts the reality that is our life with darkness and despair. The reality is that everyone has something going on in their lives. The nurse that just walked out the door, maybe her husband is an abusive man and she thinks it is her fault. The lady down the hall, maybe she can't stop secretly cutting herself thus causing the infections that keep her coming back to the hospital. The kid with the bad attitude that flipped you off is getting abused by a trusted family friend. None are alone. We feel alone because we often ultimately choose to remain silent. Silent before God. Silent with our fellow man. Silent within our own heart.
The truth is, that I will never know how many people I come in contact with have been exactly where I am. That can walk with me through my struggles and help me seek the life saving surgery that I need unless I open up and bring the evil and dark things inside me to light for the surgeon. Unless you and I share our hearts with God and with those that He places in our paths we will never know true healing.
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