
A few days ago, I shared 5 ingredients that are necessary for emotional/spiritual health from Dr. Robert McGee's excellent study, Search for Significance.
- honesty
- relationships that affirm, or make me feel good about myself
- right thinking
- the Holy Spirit’s power, strength, and wisdom
- and time
I compared the emotional healing process to baking a cake, in that all the ingredients have to be 'stirred together' as it were and in time we get the finished product of a deliciously satisfying life. Over the next few days, I want to expand on these 5 ingredients beginning with........
HONESTY - We can experience healing only to the degree that we are aware we need it. Being completely unaware of our need, we won’t seek a solution.
God gave me a vivid illustration of this. A few years ago I had knee surgery and because of the pain was not able to walk properly afterward. At first I did the 'denial/positive thinking' thing............ the pain will get better with time and I'll get on with my life. Right? Wrong! The pain didn’t go away and I continued walking in an awkward, stiff legged manner. Very exhausting!
Frustration set in! I couldn’t do life the way I wanted to! Couldn’t play ball with my grandsons or do my own housework or go for walks with Alex. It was really cramping my style and life was, shall we say, less than enjoyable! Just keeping up with the basics was a challenge!
When I couldn’t stand the pain and frustration any longer, I finally came out of denial and got honest acknowledging to myself that this wasn’t going away on its’ own and that I needed help.
Fortunately, my daughter-in-law Lily is a physiotherapist and so I appealed to her experience and superior knowledge. As we explored the history of my situation, it all began to make sense and for the next few weeks as she massaged my muscles, and I faithfully did the prescribed exercises, I began experiencing less pain and enjoying life again.
The first step (no pun intended :) to my healing was like the Psalmist David said..........getting truthful in my innermost being' and then 'God made me to know wisdom' through Lily as to how to deal with it.
When we can't stand the emotional pain in our lives any longer and its taking all our energy just to keep up with the basics, the first step is to come out of denial and be honest with God and at least one other person about our struggles. God can then give wisdom and the healing of whatever is causing our pain.
Stay tuned and in the next few days, we'll 'stir' in the rest of the ingredients that will help us enjoy a deliciously satisfying life!
QUESTION: How has or will coming out of denial - being honest - help you to recover from a 'hurt, habit or hang-up' in your life?