Sometimes, life hurts. Sometimes, hurt lingers.

As Christian women, how do we respond to lingering emotional pain in a way that is biblically supported? While God has infinite ways in which He can decide to heal us, as a helpful framework, here are 4 biblical essentials to emotional healing:

1. Jesus (to relate to your suffering)

Likely the most painful thing about pain is loneliness. When you’re suffering in solitude, it’s easy to feel misunderstood.

In fact, when I’m hurting, I often buy into the lie that I’m the only one who is “going through”; that no one else could empathize with me.

This could be a faint possibility, if not for Jesus.

Hebrews 4:15 tells us that, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”

Jesus isn’t religious with our pain. Jesus is relational. He empathizes with our weaknesses. He suffered more in the 3 years of His public ministry than most of us will in our entire lifetime.

Here’s the good news about suffering with Jesus…

Not only does Jesus share in our pain, but we also share in His glory.

Romans 8:17 says, “Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Sharing in the glory of Jesus simply means that one day, all of our sufferings will cease. We have an eternal hope to look forward to—unity with God in our new, glorified bodies.

We can suffer well for a little while, assured that Jesus is with us in earthly suffering, and He will be with us in heavenly glory. We’re not alone.

2. Truth (to combat the lies)

Have you ever gotten worked up about a hypothetical scenario, only to feel silly when that scenario never manifests?

This is the same thing that plays out when we are in deep pain over things are are simply FALSE.

Satan is a LIAR. In his attempts to intimidate, manipulate and control you, he will lie to you. Oftentimes, these lies will come in the form of half-truths and twisted truths, making them seem more believable.

In John 8:31 Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

This means that it is not enough for us to hear the truth, but also continue in it. We need to meditate on the teachings of Jesus, believe in His Word, and apply it to our lives. This is where FREEDOM comes from.

I can almost guarantee you that the deepest wounds in your life stem from the root of lies, deception and over all falsehood. You WILL find freedom when you find the truth of God’s Word.

In your healing process, you’ll need to identify every lie you’ve believed and intentionally reprogram your mind to believe the truth found in the Bible.

3. Transparency (to examine your heart)

When King David slept with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his best trusted warriors, Uriah, he first tried to cover it up. David first pulled Uriah off of the battlefield and suggested that Uriah sleep with his wife, but Uriah refused. Then, David put Uriah on the front lines of the battle field, where he died as a casualty of war.

David still couldn’t escape the truth of what he had done. After Uriah was murdered, the prophet Nathan saw right through David and rebuked him, saying, “You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites” (2 Sam. 12:9b).

It wasn’t until David was rebuked that he stopped trying to masque his sin with greater sin. He was humbled, forcing himself to be honest with himself about the damage he caused. David responded in the best way he possibly could have—repentance.

David took a good look at his sin, and said:

Psalm 51:4, 10 “For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight…
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

David’s transparency with Nathan, himself, and God was what led him to repentance, and subsequently, healing.

What’s the moral of the story?

God can’t heal what you continue to hide. Some pain will require brutal honesty—with yourself, God, and others around you.

4. Forgiveness (to restore your soul)

Ephesians 4:32 says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

When we realize how much God has forgiven us for, it frees us up to forgive others.

And don’t get it twisted—forgiveness is likely more healing for you than it is for the other person. The healing you’re looking for can be hiding in the simplicity of forgiveness.

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happy healing! xoxo,