Isaiah 42:6-7, Psalm 51:6, Revelation 21:3-4, Matthew 12:19-21

Heather Bellamy

Most of us at one time or another will have known hurt and pain, either emotionally or mentally. This pain comes through many avenues: rejection from a boyfriend/girlfriend, parents divorcing, abuse, losing a job, someone close to us dieing, illness...the list is endless. The nature of this life means that no-one goes through it totally unscathed and the reality is that we all do get affected by these circumstances in our lives.

We are all really aware of this, and outside of Jesus, there is an explosion of 'remedies' to help deal with our stress and pain. Horoscopes supposedly give direction, reiki healing, yoga with chanting to help alleviate stress, shopping for retail therapy and the usual numbing answers of drugs, alcohol or just simply a life of TV.

As people, we're not just a physical body and we're not just spirit, we also have minds and emotions! Just as our body gets knocked in life and needs to heal, so our minds and emotions get knocked and need healing. It's not weakness to admit this, anymore than it's weakness to go to the doctors when our body is unwell.

Is Jesus interested in our emotions or mind though? Whether we're Christians or not, do many of us ever consider that Jesus Himself might actually care, be interested in, in fact might even have come (in part) that we might be set free emotionally and mentally? Is He someone we can go to, to find healing? Does He have the power?

Please read the following scripture, spoken of Jesus, and consider the possibility that 'the captives' can be us in our emotional and mental prisons, and that some of the 'darkness' is our emotional and mental darkness:

'"I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.' Isaiah 42:6-7

As Christians can we admit we're hurting and not perfect in some way? Deep down we might know this, but often we try to suppress our brokenness and present a 'fine' image. That's not the freedom Christ died for, that's not the healing He has for you!

'Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.' Psalm 51:6

We need to 'desire truth'. We need to be real!

Ultimately, in Heaven, there will be no more pain of any type, but Jesus died and overcame this world that we might learn from Him and walk into some of that freedom now, while we're down here!

'And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."' Revelation 21:3-4

In the second commandment, we're told to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. That love includes loving ourselves emotionally and mentally. How do we love ourselves this way? I believe that the ONLY way, is to come to LOVE Himself with our emotions and mind.

No matter how broken you are, don't be afraid of Him:

'A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,' Matthew 12:19-21

When I came to God, I came crippled emotionally and mentally. I didn't need physical healing I needed my emotions and mind set free! I have known a Jesus who is humble and gentle by nature, a master physician who has known how to come into my most painful places emotionally and mentally and bring total freedom and healing.

He came to give us life; He said to 'come to Him'. Will you come to Him today? Will you stop to love yourself today? You wouldn't keep trying to walk around with a broken leg without going to the doctors; stop to care about yourself, even just for 5 minutes today and consider those places inside that you know you feel pain in; then begin to bring them to Jesus today.

Please pray this with me now:

"Jesus I pray that you would show me the places inside that still need healing; places where my emotions or mind have been damaged. I don't want to walk around ignoring my pain, just like I don't ignore physical pain. One of your names is Healer, please be my healer Jesus. Please lead me into and through my healing. Thank you Jesus. Amen"