Better yet, you might not even own a Bible or you might see James 5:16 and think, “What the heck is that?” So, I’ll type it out below (it’s a book in the Bible; search for it in the table of contents).
16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
James 5:16 NIV
This is one of my FAVORITE promises found in the Bible. In these words, written by James, the half-brother of Jesus (can you imagine how that was growing up?), God promises HEALING. You can say what you want… there’s no God… Jesus is a fairy-tale… science > faith… I don’t care what your view is, we can agree on one thing, we want to be HEALED.
If you’re thinking, “No I don’t.”
Next time you get sick don’t medicate.
Next time you get injured don't treat it.
Just get better.
Tough your way through it.
RIIIIIIIIGHT!
You want to be healed. I want to be healed. We ALL want to be HEALED from something or someone. We’ve all been injured or hurt in some way, whether mentally, physically, emotionally, verbally, or sexually. It’s happened. It’s there. You can’t escape it, BUT you CAN be HEALED FROM IT!
Now, you can try and just get over it on your own or you can turn to the God who created you and loves you and wants the best for you and ask Him to HEAL you. James 5:16 identifies 2 ways we can be healed (though I don’t think they are the ONLY 2 ways).
#1 Confess Your Sins—you’re only as sick as your secrets! Bottle it up and stay broken or confess it find healing. DISCLAIMER: if you’re a victim of abuse, it’s NOT YOUR FAULT. You are only responsible for your response. Have you clung to bitterness and resentment and unforgiveness? That’s a problem. You gotta let that stuff go. You gotta let go of the hurt and the pain so you can experience the freedom and joy God has waiting for you.
#2 Pray For Each Other—this is so good and so true! I don’t have what I’d refer to as “good social skills”. I’ve always had difficulty connecting with people or, probably better stated, WANTING to connect with others. That is, until I started PRAYING FOR OTHERS. Praying has this crazy way of softening a concrete heart and even resurrecting a dead heart. That was me. I was so consumed with anger and bitterness that I allowed my heart to turn cold towards others, but God CHANGED me! He’s helped me to learn how to LOVE people and that’s brought more HEALING to my life than I can explain. You know you’re in a good place when you can pray God blesses those who have harmed you.
Reflect:
- Is there something in your life that you’re ready to finally let go?
- What area(s) of your life are you ready to experience healing?
- Who do you know that you can trust with your secrets and struggles?
- Are you holding on to any resentment, bitterness, or unforgiveness? Who are you holding these feelings against?
- Who do you need to start praying for (if you answered the previous question, you’ve already started your list)?
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