“If we are to nurture and heal, we must admit that the wounds exist.” – Iyanla Vanzant

“Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” – Jeremiah 17:14 NIV

“The most powerful healing arises from the simple intention to love the life within you, unconditionally, with as much tenderness and presence as possible.” – Tara Brach

Generally, when we think of healing, we think about it within the context of a diagnosed disease or disability.  But tonight, I want you to think about it differently and hopefully in a way that changes how you see and experience life itself moving forward.

It’s a kind of healing that requires daily attention and focus – orchestrated and overseen by the Great Physician himself 😊 It centers on the “inner self” – involving the spiritual aspects of the heart, mind, and soul.

“Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.” – 2 Corinthians 4:16 BSB

But like Iyanla Vanzant mentions above, we need to first admit that wounds exist deep inside of us before we can ever be healed in a transformative way – in a way that has reverberating effects on our life and the lives of others around us.

This conscious declaration is a prerequisite to inner healing.  How do I know?  I have lived most of my life neglecting my heart condition and its impact on the quality of my life.  I have failed miserably at healing and transforming my mind to think as our Lord urges us to, and I haven’t regimentally fed my soul daily to keep it healthy and vibrant.

So, my friend, it begins with realizing we are spiritually sick and in need of healing.  But once we do, we open ourselves tenderly – with a conscious presence – to heal and love the life within us as Tara Brach so eloquently states above. 

Healing the inner self is the most powerful thing we can do to create a quality life for us, and more importantly, for those we love and cherish.

Healing the Heart

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” – Psalm 4:23 NKJV

“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” – Proverbs 23:7 NKJV

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and they defile a man.” – Matthew 15:18 NKJV

“For with the heart one believes unto righteousness…” – Romans 10:10 NKJV

“For you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” – Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding….” – Proverbs 3:5 NKJV

“And you will seek me and find me when you search for me will all your heart…” – Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV

“But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” – 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT

Think for a minute, my friend, about the fundamental importance of your heart.  Every issue of life flows from it!  Your thoughts come from it, the words you speak originate there, and it is there where your beliefs and values reside.  What and who we allow within our hearts drives and dictates the direction of our life.

Our hearts are what God sees when he looks at us, not our outward appearance.  The heart drives our love and trust in God and becomes the vehicle in which we find and hear God’s voice.

How are you guarding your heart today?  How has this world influenced it, broken it, or filled it with things that don’t belong there? 

Healing the Mind

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.” – Isaiah 55:8 NKJV

“You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.” – Isaiah 26:3 NKJV

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” – Romans 12:2 NLT

“For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” – Romans 8:6 NKJV

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 2:5 NKJV

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” – Philippians 4:8 NKJV

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law, he meditates day and night.” – Psalm 1:2 NKJV

To recognize that human thoughts are often so counter to the thoughts of God is a sobering fact.  What we allow into our minds can destroy us or begin the healing process.  I love the Romans verse that tells us to surrender our thoughts to God who can transform us and heal our minds from all that weighs us down in this world.

This, my friend, is my own current struggle – to keep my mind focused on Christ, to trust in him – focusing on all that is noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable in this life!  This is where peace and his will for us can be found.

Healing the Soul

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” – Genesis 2:7 KJV

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” – Matthew 16:26 NKJV

“And do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul….” – Matthew 10:28 NKJV

How much time do we spend on a daily basis feeding our bodies versus feeding our souls?  We can easily forget that we are indeed two beings – an earthly body and temporal life that carries inside of it the essence of who we are as an eternal soul.

What needs nurturing and healing inside of your soul?  How do you recognize this and feed it daily to keep it vibrant and healthy?

“My soul rests quietly only when it looks to God; from him comes my deliverance.” – Psalm 62:1 ISV

Think about the reverberating effects within your life if you focus daily on the health and wellbeing of your heart, mind, and soul?  How would it change your circumstances currently?  How would it impact the lives of those you love?  How would focusing on healing the inner self change the direction and impact of your destiny here?

Father,

We come to you today for inner healing.  Look into our hearts and heal all that is broken and damaged.  Give us the strength to guard it diligently each day – trusting in you as we fill it with your presence.  Remind us daily that all issues of life flow from it.  Heal it with your touch and fill it with your love.

Heal and transform our minds so that we can know your will for us here.  Fill our thoughts with all that is noble, pure, and good – bringing us peace as we pray for your divine wisdom and guidance in all we think about each day.  Give us a Christ-like mindset – steering our thoughts closer to yours.

Help feed our souls daily by seeking you – the very God who has breathed this life into us! Give us the wisdom to see what is temporal and what is eternal as we journey here in this world.  Heal our soul – making it healthy and strong so we may show others your glory as we make our way back to you!

Amen