Dear Ones,
Hope you wake today to sense the closeness of the Lord and how much he loves you. Are there special ways you seem to sense His love for you? 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
If we were honest with ourself we would all admit that we need healing in our lives. Everyone has some hurts from our past that still affects us now, even if we are not aware. Some Doctors are finding out that many of our physical diseases are traced back to pain early in our lives, often hurts done to us, and they need to be addressed. When inner healing comes, they have seen the physical sickness healed.
Of course, Jesus is our healer and he is our wounded healer for it says in I Peter 2:24 (Message), “He used His servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing.” Jesus knew what it was to suffer so He is able to sympathize with us as we go through trials and pains.
When I was reading Bill and Kristi Gaultiere’s book, “Journey of the Soul”, they write that our wounds actually help to qualify us for ministry. Really, we may say, God can use all my brokenness for His glory? Yes! Henri Nouwen taught about how wounded Jesus healers don’t give advice, analysis, or try to fix others. Instead, they listen well and give empathy. Sometimes they also share their own weaknesses and brokenness in order to help others to have words to give to their hurts and to seek God’s grace and comfort. It is sharing of our pain with one another and giving it to the Lord that our lives can be healed and transformed.
There is a time to feel the pain of something we went through rather than deny it, but then we need to forgive and release it to the Lord. I heard one woman tell the story of when she was a little girl, that her dad told her mom and her to get to the car as they were going someplace. He said he was going to get his jacket in the trunk but instead he got out a rifle and shot her mom twice. He pointed the gun at her and she thought her life was over. But after hesitating, he turned the gun on himself and killed himself. For years and years, she felt guilty that she didn’t take the bullet rather than her mom and she had physical symptoms in her body of stress. But as she was able to share and get healing. she is now able to help others going through painful things.
Nothing is wasted in our lives if we give it to the Lord. He puts His shepherd’s oil in our wounds and healing comes.
Challenge for today: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal a hurtful area in your life that needs His attention and give it.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy