My new read was different from most of my nonfiction books.
It was clinical in nature, written by a psychotherapist and filled with a bunch of words I had to look up. It had been recommended to me by my husband early on in our marriage, but it took me 18 years to finally read it. Initially, I reasoned it wasn’t for me, until life led me to it.
Then I couldn’t put it down.
Reading this book felt like a cross between therapy and intense research. With each page, I was learning more about myself. Eventually, I was struck by a single, numerical list: 20 needs that should be fulfilled in the life of every child. If unmet, these needs have the potential to create wounds in unsuspecting adults. They had done so in me.
I held my breath as I read through the list of needs: safety, validation, guidance and many others. Those words described needs I missed. Then I thought about the circumstances surrounding my unmet needs: my single mother, my absent and alcoholic father, and me.
It all felt so overwhelming. I was a 42-year-old woman attempting to process wounds I was still discovering.
But God was not surprised.
He already knew His children would incur wounds in this life. He knew what we eventually discover: In a broken world, with broken people, sometimes we will get cut. I believe this is why God inspired the psalmist to pen the words of Psalm 147:3: “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Verse 2 of this psalm lets us know that the psalmist is specifically referring to the exiles of Israel, but these words are applicable to all believers. God is communicating His concern for every brokenhearted individual.
In Psalm 147:3, God is reminding us that His power is unlimited. He is mighty enough to heal all wounds no matter when or how they occurred in our lives. Our pain is not beyond His tremendous power. He is the Great Physician, able to reach into our pasts and heal our souls.
The scripture says, “He heals,” meaning this healing is ongoing. It is not a one-time deal but rather a supernatural act that can occur over and over in the lives of the brokenhearted. For as much and as long as we need healing, God’s compassionate care is available to us.
The Hebrew meaning for the word “brokenhearted” is defined in relation to the inner person, encompassing the mind, will and emotions. Thus, the psalmist reminds us that God is capable of healing all types of wounds.
If our wounds are physical, He can heal them.
If our wounds are mental, He can heal them.
If our wounds are emotional, He can heal those, too.
God not only heals the souls of the broken; He also binds up our wounds. He takes the time to tenderly bandage the wounded places in our lives so we can be made whole. This level of tender care communicates several truths about God:
God cares about those with broken hearts.
God’s power to heal is infinite.
God loves His children deeply.
God is capable of healing all wounds.
I have seen these truths in my own life. God has taken the little girl who grew up with a single mother and an absent father, and He is making her whole. God, my heavenly Father, is teaching me how to look to Him to meet every unmet need from my childhood.
In Him, there is safety.
In Him, there is validation.
In Him, there is guidance.
In Him, all our needs are met.
He does not abandon us with our wounds. God steps into our lives, heals our broken hearts and binds up every wound.
Dear God, thank You for Your tender care for the brokenhearted. Help me to trust and believe that You are able to heal every place in my life where I have been wounded. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
