I used to believe that the best way to deal with emotional pain was to bury it deep inside. Maybe you’ve felt the same—thinking that if you just keep moving forward, pushing aside the hurt, you’ll eventually forget it. But as time goes on, the humps under that emotional carpet start to grow, and before long, you trip over them. Eventually, I realized that the only way to truly heal was to confront the emotions I had buried and go through them. It’s like that famous children’s story: “We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.” In the book, the characters chant:
“We can’t go over it.
We can’t go under it.
Oh no! We’ve got to go through it!”
This simple phrase sums up the journey of emotional healing so well. Just like in the story, we often face obstacles in life—painful memories, past trauma, or unresolved emotions—that we can’t ignore or avoid forever. We have to go through them in order to heal.
How We Can Face Our Emotions:
1. Acknowledge the Pain: Be Honest with God
The first step in healing is acknowledging the pain and bringing it before God. Many times, we try to ignore or suppress our emotions, but the Bible encourages us to come to God with an open heart.
In the book of Psalms, we find countless examples of David and other psalmists expressing their pain, fear, anger, and sorrow to God. They were honest about their emotions, knowing that God was a safe place to lay down their burdens. David writes:
“I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.” (Psalm 6:6, NIV).
This verse is a reminder that it’s okay to grieve, cry, and express your pain. Healing begins when we stop pretending everything is fine and start bringing our true emotions to God in prayer. Jesus Himself invited us to do this, saying, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NKJV).
Practical Step:Spend time in prayer, expressing your feelings to God without holding back. If journaling helps, write down your emotions as a way to pour them out before God. He can handle your pain and understands every tear.
2. Surrender to God’s Healing Power
Once we acknowledge our pain, we must surrender it to God, trusting that He can heal us in ways that we cannot heal ourselves. One of the hardest parts of emotional healing is letting go of control and allowing God to work in His time and in His way.
Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us to:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
When we surrender our hurts and allow God to take control, we open ourselves to His healing touch. This requires faith—believing that even in our brokenness, God is working for our good (Romans 8:28).
Practical Step:In prayer, release control and ask God to take over the healing process. You might say, “Lord, I don’t know how to heal this pain, but I trust You to work in my life. I surrender this hurt to You and ask for Your healing touch.”
Conclusion: Trusting God for Complete Restoration
The journey of healing is not easy, but we can take comfort in knowing that God is with us every step of the way. As you acknowledge your pain, surrender it to God, practice forgiveness, immerse yourself in Scripture, and seek support from others, you will experience God’s healing touch.
Remember that God is the ultimate healer. He sees your brokenness, understands your hurt, and is committed to bringing you to a place of wholeness. Jeremiah 30:17 gives us this beautiful promise:
“‘For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord.”
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