Healing a Wounded Soul
Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people” (Matt. 9:35).
When we read scriptures like the above, we usually think of Jesus physically healing people, but he also healed wounded souls. Mary Magdeline is a testimony to the power of healing a wounded soul. Yes, Jesus delivered her from demons, but her soul also needed healing after all she had experienced.
Soul healing can take longer than physical healing, depending on the depth and length of the soul wound.
How is a soul wounded? One way is when an individual or group that we are subjugated to or highly influenced by orders us to do or say something that conflicts with our moral values and principles. Even if we have low morals before we get saved, we usually know the difference between right and wrong and can be deeply wounded by others. I have experienced this before and after recieving Christ as my Lord and Savior. The inflicted wounds to a believer can be much deeper than the same inflicted wounds to an unbeliever.
Think about the following examples:
A Christ-loving teen girl becomes pregnant, and a parent or the boyfriend influences her or demands that she get an abortion. However, she’s been taught and believes abortion is murder. This can put her soul into tremendous conflict and confusion, resulting in pain, guilt, and sorrow! Yet, she gives in to the direction out of love or respect or fear of those closest to her.
Or maybe a soldier is under orders to fire his weapon into a building – and then discovers that among the dead are a woman and probably her children who he did not intend to kill. He experiences soul pain, guilt, and sorrow. There are countless examples, including from our own lives.
When one’s soul is wounded, counseling might bring awareness - but not healing. Why? Because soul wounds are stronger than psychological wounds - because they are spiritual issues.
Soul Wounds cause conflict and distress throughout the entire essence of our being – our soul, the mind, will, and emotions. There can be many manifestations and trigger points that develop from a soul wound: depression, anger, alcoholism, drug addiction, sex addiction, eating disorders, and the list goes on. Many who have been diagnosed with PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder) can have a very wounded soul. And those who sin against us and wound our souls, can cause us to sin against others. We need soul healing.
Matt 13:15 says, “should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” Here the word Heal in Greek is iaomai, meaning to make whole, to be free from errors and sins, to bring about (one’s) salvation.
Jesus wants to heal souls to be free from sin – ours and from others. A wounded soul can be transformed only into a healed soul by the power of God!
“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions”(Psa 107:20).
“Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again” (1Th 5:23).
I encourage you today, be honest with yourself. Let God show you if your soul needs healing. And invite Him to do complete work to set you free. “…let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17).
Then you will be free to really be all that God has designed for you to be!
Building together with Him and you,
John P. Kelly