Untangling Hurts and Losses
Untangle Losses to find Emotional and Spiritual Healing
My husband gave me a beautiful diamond necklace for Christmas one year. After wearing it the first time, instead of hanging it up on a hook in my jewelry chest, I hurriedly dropped it into a drawer with a poodle dog label pin.
When I wanted to wear the necklace again, I reached in the drawer for it, only to discover that it was tangled around the dog’s neck. In a hurry, I left it there and reached for a diamond necklace that my Mother had given me several years before.
Upon returning home, I took off the necklace, and once again in a hurry, threw it in the same drawer with the poodle dog label pin, and my other tangled up diamond necklace.
Later, I discovered that the two necklaces were now all tangled up together around the dog’s neck.
Discouraged at such a big tangled-up mess, I left them that way for several years. When I realized that I was not getting any enjoyment out of either of my diamond necklaces, I had to sit down and untangle them piece-by-piece.
I submit that that is what happens to us when we experience hurts and losses in our life. Because we are in a hurry, or in some cases, just don’t know how to grieve through each loss as it occurs, we begin to accumulate losses that get all tangled up together.
LOSS – it is a simple word, yet one of our constant companions in life. Nobody likes to lose; it hurts to lose. We prefer to be winners, but unfortunately, everyone suffers losses – there are no exceptions.
While losses may vary in intensity or degrees, the consequence of pain is the same. It is the pain that the Lord wants to heal. As He says in His word: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” Luke 4:19 KJV.
Untangling hurts and losses may take awhile, which is why we can safely say that healing is a process. However, the beautiful picture that begins to unfold in our lives as we untangle each loss and grieve each one separately is two-fold:
· We begin to enjoy life again
· Out of the comfort God has comforted us, we then have a desire to comfort others during their time of loss.
One sobering thought to remember: emotional healing won’t be complete until we meet Jesus in heaven. In the meantime, grieve through each loss as it comes into your life; don’t wait until they get all tangled up.
Reflection
Name losses in your life in which you have not received healing. A good way to tell is ask yourself this question: “What still sticks and pricks me to talk about”?
How does Luke 4:18 apply to you and the losses you have experienced?
Are you ready to untangle your losses and get started down the road to possess your specific loss? If so, what do you believe is your first step should be?
Goals
List one goal you can accomplish today (at home, at work, with family, etc.,) that will allow you to live out your purpose in regard to HEALING.
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised. (Luke 4:18 KJV)
