Recently I was listening to “The Consolation of Philosophy” by Boethius when this quote caught my attention – “If you seek the physician’s help, you must show your wounds.” This is such a simple and obvious truth, but if you think about it, you will notice that it is easier to understand than to practice.
Now I am not talking about physical wounds. Obviously if you go to the doctor to treat a physical wound, you do not hesitate to show your wound. But our emotional and spiritual wounds are much harder to deal with. These unseen wounds quickly surround themselves with shame and sometimes guilt. Perhaps we accept conventional wisdom like “Time heals all wounds” or “Out of sight, out of mind.” But time alone does not heal our wounds, and just because we are not intentionally focused on something does not mean that it is not affecting us. The truth is that until we show our wounds, allowing them to be cleansed and dressed, there is little hope for healing. Unattended wounds fester and become life threatening.
To be healed we must first be honest about our wounds. We must correctly name them. We must bring them out in the open in order to treat them. This demands trust. It is not wise to show your wounds to just anyone who happens to be around you. Rather you need to find someone who is willing and able to help you.
Willing and able reminds me of a story from the life of Jesus. Once a man who had leprosy came to Jesus for healing. Showing Jesus his wounds he said, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” He had great faith in Jesus’ ability to heal, and great hope that Jesus wanted to heal him. His faith and hope were well placed, for Jesus said, “I am willing. Be clean!”
Jesus always stands ready to heal. We must summon the courage to show our wounds so that they can be made whole. Finding someone who cares about our healing and growth is a great start to dealing with our hidden wounds. If you are suffering from unhealed wounds, I hope that you will have the courage and faith to show them so that you can be healed.
- Kenny Payne