All of us are healing from something. Oftentimes, as we are healing from one wound, we are inflicted with another. Learning how to navigate the healing process is something we may never perfect—each wound and circumstance unique. We all cope and grieve in different ways, at different times. Knowing that God that is in the midst of our suffering and healing, we have the opportunity to persevere in our healing processes. (Check out Psalm 103:2-5 NIV).
In this post, we hear from Anna, a full-time nurse and writer, who shares her journey in healing and gives us all a little encouragement to keep moving forward:
Over the past five years, I’ve spent countless hours on a couch unearthing the most bitter and painful moments of my life as my therapist scribbles down notes on her pad. I’ve cried more tears, muttered more profanity, and made more self-discoveries than I can count. Each time I’ve ended a round of therapy, I claim victory. “Finally! I can move on with my life!” I exclaim. Yet, I often find or acquire a new wound that is too overwhelming to conquer without professional help. And with these wounds, I find myself begrudgingly shuffling back to my therapist’s office. Frustration runs through my veins as I think to myself, “When will therapy finally end for me? When will my healing come?!”
That’s the funny thing about healing. Healing doesn’t have a timeline. We can’t mark a date on the calendar for when it’s supposed to magically appear. Like a deep physical wound, you cannot control when your emotional wound will become a scar. You can’t predict when its sting will finally cease. All wounds aren’t created equal. Sometimes, wounds need more care and more time than others. And that’s perfectly normal. Even the smallest of wounds need great attention and care. As life continues, you acquire new wounds because this world doesn’t always treat us well. And those wounds will need its own individualized care.
If you find yourself in the continual cycle of therapy or still trying to get over a painful wound, know that healing is not a race. Don’t measure your healing journey to someone else’s because each journey is unique. Just because your’s is taking longer than anticipated doesn’t mean you’ve failed. In fact, you’ve fully succeeded in proactively taking care of your heart and soul. It doesn’t mean you’re fragile. You’re just the opposite of fragile, if anything. You’re stronger than you can ever imagine. It doesn’t mean your wounds have defined you. Your wounds do not define you at all. You define you. Don’t beat yourself up just because “you haven’t gotten it” yet. Instead, praise yourself for all the work you’ve done. That work takes true guts to do.
Keep pushing on. Continue your healing journey, whatever that may look like for you. You are worth the time, care, energy, and attention. Never forget that. It’s okay to get frustrated. It’s extremely easy and normal to do. Give yourself grace, and allow yourself to fully feel and release that frustration. It’s part of the journey. And when you get to end of yourself and need hope to cling onto, remember this. Healing will come, rest assured. It’s on the horizon, and it’s ready to welcome you into the sweetest of freedoms.
