A Heart Bent Toward Jesus

My dear sister or brother, it’s time to truly surrender your pain to the Lord and allow Him to heal your heart so that you may live in the fullness of joy.

As we've journeyed through unforgiveness and guarding our hearts over the last few days, we certainly cannot end a discussion on the heart without addressing the need for heart-wound healing. We've discussed our inability to trust our hearts. That's why it must be surrendered to Jesus. As a believer in Christ, we must understand our rights and identity as part of the Body. You can visit countless counselors, talk endlessly about your wounds, and still not receive deep healing when there is a lack of knowledge about your identity in Christ or resistance to fully surrender to Him.

Sure, a counselor may provide temporary relief for a while, but true healing—the kind Christ paid for—comes only through Him. It is faith that makes us well. (See Mark 5:34). Even faith as small as a mustard seed can move the mountain of heart trauma. Your healing and freedom come from the Lord. It's that simple—and that powerful. It happens in His presence. We rest in His presence. We listen for His voice. His presence becomes the operating room. Yes, there are many worldly modalities employed to heal someone's heart, and the list is lengthy. (Most, by the way, I emphatically believe are not useful.) But the healing identified in Scripture comes through faith, intention, holy living, obedience, fasting, praying, and battling against the enemy.

The Holy Spirit can rush in like a mighty wind, stirring up hidden pain, exposing old wounds, and creating a life-changing healing encounter with Jesus. This is not just possible; it's necessary for healing. Nothing compares to the presence of the Lord. We should be crying out daily, like in Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT). "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life."

Ask the Lord to reveal and remove anything that lingers in your heart that displeases Him. His promises are for you. If you approach healing thinking, His grace and healing are for everyone but you; don't be surprised if you struggle to receive it. It is our faith in His goodness that makes us well. He truly desires to bring balm to the deepest wounds of your past.

Sometimes (not always), our bondage is rooted in sin or disobedience. As we've discussed earlier, James 4:17 (NLT) says, "Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." Pain can come from sin—past or present—that has not been fully repented of. This will bring our freedom. We are made righteous through the blood of Jesus. But holiness is a process: daily, intentional, and rooted in dying to the flesh. You know when something in your life isn't pleasing to God. The Holy Spirit gives you that gut check—you know the one. If not, or if the weight of pain clouds your discernment, ask the Father to search and examine you like the Great Physician He is.

To keep your heart bent toward Jesus, walk in obedience. It protects your heart from leading you astray and keeps you rooted in His truth. Ask the Lord to begin to perform heart surgery on the deep pain of your past. Tell Him you are ready, willing, able, and faith-filled to move forward.

Points to Ponder:

• Is your heart truly surrendered to the Lord? Have you fully laid down pain, pride, and control?
• Are you allowing the Holy Spirit to search and refine you daily? How often do you invite the Lord to examine thoughts, motives, and wounds—even the ones I think are already healed?