Emotional Healing

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.” (Psalm 40:1-3)

We all go through struggles and hard times.  Life is not fair.  Emotional healing is something that every person needs, to one degree or another, for we have all been wounded emotionally.  There are many variations of emotional brokenness and pain—as many as there are types of people. Whether the cause is natural or because of another one's sin, the majority of people fight some type of emotional battle.

The Psalmist paints a picture of someone trapped in an emotional downward spiral.  Everything seems overwhelming and yet, in the end, he was able to say that there is an encouragement in seeking God’s help.  Why?  Because God hears us.

There are two types of trauma that bring the kind of despair that we read in today’s passage. There is the trauma of “not getting what we need” and then there is the trauma of “getting something that we should have never received.”  The first is the result of neglect and abandonment, the second from abuse.  But the good news is that God hears us in our despair.

As a follower of Christ, here are some practical things you can do to find emotional healing:

1) Meditate on God’s Word.

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:1-2)

2) Confess any known sin to God.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

3) Allow the Holy Spirit to control your thoughts.

“The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace…” (Romans 8:6)

4) Refuse to return to your sinful habits.

“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin…” (Romans 6:6)

5) Forgive those who have hurt you.

This is very important. “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

6) See yourself as God sees you.

“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:11), (See Romans 5:8)

7) Join a Bible teaching church and join in their fellowship.

God gives spiritual gifts to His church, “to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…” (Ephesians 4:12) A church’s function is to aid in the healing process of those who are spiritually or emotionally hurt.

Following God is the first step to emotional healing.  He is the One who restores our souls. (See Psalm 23:3)  But we must remember that healing is a process.  It involves moment-by-moment choices to trust and obey the Lord.  When we are indwelt with His Spirit, He can and will delight to turn us around and make us the kind of people who can trust and be trusted by others, resulting in better relationships all around.

Today, praise God for He hears your cries.  Rejoice, He can heal your emotions!