The Beauty of Healing

2016 Reflection

“Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.”-Psalm 30:2

One word that keeps echoing in my heart and mind is the word “healing.” I can honestly say I have experienced healing. So much has happened this past year. Things that were absolutely heart wrenching. Things I didn’t see coming. But in spite of all of those things, the joy, comfort and restoration I have received from the Lord supercedes everything.

I have found that one of the most important aspects about healing is embracing what happened and standing in the truth of your reality, even if that truth may be painful. Not ignoring that truth, not suppressing it, but truly accepting it. Giving yourself time to grieve, to feel the pain. Letting yourself go through the journey. I chose not to ignore those things that happened. I chose not to suppress them, but to press the pain I was feeling into the arms of my loving Savior.  

Healing is one of those things that initially is one of the most painful things ever imaginable, but by the end of the healing process you have strength in the Lord and an experience that no one can take away from you. So many times we want the healing without the pain and the tears, but we cannot get the blessing of healing without embracing the FULL process.

We must go through the hurt before we can grow into being healed.

So many times we want to use anesthetics to help us numb and forget the pain. For example, we get out of a relationship and we rush into another one and grab a hold of the person to serve as a temporary emotional filler (Anesthetic). Or we ignore the existence of the loved one that passed away and block and shut out all the memories of them because we don’t want to face the reality that they are gone (Anesthetic). Or we deny the fact that someone hurt us, that we were betrayed, abandoned by friends or family. Or we ignore our mistakes and choose not to acknowledge our wrong. We fake our healing and act like we are unaffected (Anesthetic). All the while, we are walking around bleeding still unhealed.

True healing cannot be faked, it can only be experienced.

I do not believe in the phrase “getting over someone” or “getting over a situation.” I do not believe those statements promote healing. I have found a more appropriate statement to be that of “growing and moving forward.” We must understand that in order to heal we must embrace what happened, but not stay stuck there. We must push through the hurt in order to grow through the process of healing. Trying to ignore the existence of someone you once loved is a matter of impossibility. If you loved them, love them. If you’ve laughed with them, embrace that fact. It was a moment, a memory and experience that is a part of your life story. It just means that chapter has ended and you’re moving forward into a new one.

As I reflect over the year 2016, I remember the nights I wept on the floor over the various loved ones I loss. I remember the pain I felt after my relationship ended. I remember the hurt and the loneliness I experienced many times during the year 2016.

But what my soul remembers even more is how the love of God screamed so loud in the empty walls of my heart and echoed into every crevice. I remember the faithfulness of God and how He loved me back to life in the midst of my brokenness. I remember God’s presence through every moan, wail, tear, laugh, and fear. He was still there. Forever present and forever abounding in love. I can now rejoice through it all, because every part of 2016 helped me further appreciate the comfort, love, and faithfulness of God. My mouth is full of praise and my heart overflowing with gratitude because my God did not leave me while I was bleeding, while I was hurting, and while I was weeping! He kept on loving me into healing. He carried me. He guided me. He nurtured me. He strengthened me. HE HEALED ME!

I’m a better me, a better woman, and a better Christian because of what I have grown and healed through. The good, the bad, and the ugly, it all served a purpose. The beauty about healing is the healing power you receive from God and the “YOU” that you become in the process. You grow, you mature, you change, and you come forth stronger and wiser. God empowers you with strength and wisdom that you never knew you could possess.

As you go into this New Year, I want you to remember this.

Never discount your healing.

Embrace the process.

Don’t rush it.

Don’t ignore it.

Don’t suppress it.

Even if you are still healing into the new year, continue to heal. Press forward in the midst of it. Heal fully and completely! Let the Lord beautify you in your healing. He is faithful and will forever be!  May God continue to bless you as you go forth into this new year. Happy New Year!

With love,

Ashley Moneet

Fearless. Faithful.Following

*P.S. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all of your love and support! Thank you for allowing me to share my heart and life with you through my blog Fearless Faithful Following. My prayer is that in some way God used me to encourage you. Lord willing, see you in 2017!