After my first c-section (I’ve had three), I was astonished when the nurses made me get out of bed less than 24 hours after I’d been lying on the operating table. I was sure that my insides might just fall out. Everything held together with dissolvable sutures that felt very fragile. It’s amazing to me how fast the human body heals itself. Just six weeks after my c-section, I could go about life as usual. 

Something that stands out to me about wound healing is that it isn’t the sutures themselves, or the surgeries or medicines themselves that heal a body. The surgeon made sure the field was sterile, that everything was in its proper place, and then used sutures to put the edges of the open wounds against each other. My body then began the healing process. It’s not actually something the doctor can make happen, although they certainly facilitate it.  

Heart healing happens in a similar way. When pain or grief have created wounds in our hearts, it can feel like things will never be okay again. Whether that wound was caused by betrayal, disappointment, trauma, or death, one might ask the question, “how can I get over this?” I have certainly found myself wanting to speed up the process, to escape the pain. But these heart wounds can only be truly healed by God. 

He heals the brokenhearted
And binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3 NKJV

 While we wait for God to bring healing to our hearts, there are  three practical things we can do to facilitate healing:

First, we can put our hearts in the proper place by reading God’s Word— reminding ourselves of His truths. When our hearts are in pain, truth helps us stay away from bitterness and anger.

Second, we can continue regular care of ourselves even while our hearts are broken. Eating, sleeping, and keeping to a normal schedule. The heart needs a good environment to be primed for healing. It’s easy to let these everyday things go, but they are still important.

Third, praying for God’s transforming and healing power in our lives. When it comes to heart work, we need God’s help and He loves to help us. It’s truly humbling to realize we cannot change our own hearts, heal our own wounds, or manufacture forgiveness. He is the one who heals. We cannot do it without him.

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

Psalm 107:19-21 NKJV

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Sarah Clews loves being the wife of Carson and mother to three little girls. She received her degree in English from Corban University and still loves the craft of writing. She also helps her husband run a martial arts school. In her free time, Sarah enjoys talking with grown-ups (!), finding new authors, doing online research, and reading her favorite childhood stories to her girls.