Karen B. Stevenson, MD, M.Div.

Let’s face it. We are wounded people. The very fact that we are living predisposes us to wounding. Childhood trauma, family discord and dysfunction, divorce, addictions, sexual trauma, grief, and the inevitable changes and transitions of life contribute to our pain. Hence our need for healing. Being wounded during the course of life does not mean we are damaged or abnormal. Being wounded during the course of life means we are human. Look around and see the impact of our unhealed wounds on one another. A quick perusal of your local newspaper or listening to the news gives one ample proof that many people are hurting. And unfortunately, far too many of us are hurting others.

Even those who profess religious beliefs cannot escape the painful moments of life. The death of a loved one. The loss of a job. Receiving the diagnosis of a terminal illness… Life sends difficult moments our way. As a Christian, I am grateful for the hope that my faith in Jesus Christ gives me. I am grateful that I am able to cling to the God who loves me with an everlasting love. I also realize that despite my faith, I have been wounded. I hurt. I grieve. I cry out to God in prayer, and I cry out to God in community.

He restores our souls. Even when we walk through the darkest valley, our God is with us.

The Bible is, in reality, the story of a gracious and merciful God who loves us so unconditionally, that He robed himself in humanity to live our pain and reconcile us back into relationship with Him. God loves sinful, broken people so much that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to reconcile us to Himself. This gracious God also gives us community, the Body of Christ. Most of us are familiar with the proclaiming, discipling, and missionary outreach functions of the church, yet we are not as aware of those in the Body who are called to counsel and comfort those who are hurting. Within the Body of Christ are those who are called to walk alongside us in our journey of healing. Psalm 23 tells us that our gracious God and Shepherd, leads us beside still waters. He restores our souls. Even when we walk through the darkest valley, our God is with us.

I believe that the Lord has called some in the Body of Christ to be that healing presence of God when we face the dark valleys of life. Proverbs 11:14 warns us, “Where no counsel is, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.”

Healing is a process, and it begins with recognizing our brokenness. The incidence of mental illness in our culture is at an all-time high. Despite our modern conveniences and the advancements of technology, humanity finds itself more stressed, depressed, and overwhelmed than at any time in our history. We are in a culture with epidemic numbers of stress related diseases and disorders. We have wounded souls and spirits. We have been abused, abandoned, and miss-used. Trauma and its consequences are real.

The church preaches Jesus Christ, and Him crucified – and it should.

It should also preach, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are wearied by your heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” The Bible is filled with hurting people crying out to God, but I guess preaching about hurting people doesn’t make for a good show on Sunday mornings.

God is calling for the church to journey with those who are suffering. We are not just the hands and feet of God, we are His heart also. The church is to proclaim victory in Jesus Christ. Victory is the salvation of our souls, ensuring us of life eternal. Victory is also the healing of our wounded souls. Holistic healing, in body, soul, and spirit, is a call to the abundant life. It invites us to begin living the eternal life – Now.