ignoring our wounds

St John Chrysostom talks to us in A Year with the Church Fathers today about healing our wounds. He says that we need to know what our wounds are so we can apply the right medicines.

Now why would he say that? Can't we take for granted that all of us want to know what our wounds are so we can heal them? If only life were that simple, right?

The fact is that many of us don't want to know our wounds. We want to pretend that we don't have any, while pointing out everyone else's. We avoid looking at our own wounds, because we're afraid of them.

But God shines a doctor's light onto us, illuminating our wounds. He shows us, if we let Him, where we need to be healed. He brings our infected, open wounds out of the darkness where we try to hide them so that He can apply the salve that only He has, which can heal our wounds, "bind them up" (which means put a healing dressing on them), and bring us into a full and happy health once more.

How often do we limp along in life, having our strength sapped by a broken spirit? As long as we refuse to look directly at our wounds and get the healing that they need, the best we can do is limp along with a broken spirit. But if we ask Him, He will help us to heal those wounds, and will fill us with joy. A cheerful heart is, itself, good medicine. Not just for us, but for everyone we know.

God, thank You for giving us healing medicine. Please give us courage to face our wounds.