When Our Wounds Are Healed

Discussion in 'On prayer itself' started by Mark Dohle, Jan 6, 2025.

  1. Mark Dohle

    Mark Dohle Powers

    adjustingtooldage.jpg

    When Our Wounds Are Healed

    In Chapter Two—At the Foot of the Cross—we learned the importance of digging deep within us to pull out our entire root system of sin. Now we learn that, buried with our sins, there is also a root system of disordered tendencies, anxieties, and fears that are infecting our wounds. The devil has exploited those wounds to separate us from God and prevent us from receiving and giving love. When our wounds are healed, the devil can no longer exploit us as he did before.

    **********

    Many people abhor the idea of sin, thinking that admitting we are sinners is somehow an insult to humanity. It is not. Admitting sin is embracing our responsibility for our lives. Sin implies that we can choose another path and that we need to own up to what we have done. Part of that understanding is to seek mercy.

    Evil wants to enchain us. Addictions are a good example. In the sexual sphere, we sin when we treat each other as objects or believe that sex is just for fun. Using others can lead to degradation, as seen in worldwide sex trafficking, broken marriages, and the suffering of children.

    How we treat one another is important. We need not be afraid of growing in love for others or of showing compassion. Each act of compassion, no matter how small, is a building block. Conversely, acts of hatred or cruelty destroy our humanity and souls little by little. Sin is not compulsion, though compulsion left unchecked will lead to the same place.

    It is a painful road to walk when we decide to open our hearts to grace. Sorrow and regret can become powerful forces in our lives. Prayer allows God’s grace to work in our souls, slowly healing us and allowing us to grow in our ability to love others, as well as in compassion and empathy. We see ourselves in the struggles and failures of others. We reach out to help them, or if we cannot, we pray for them. We learn to pray for those we feel hatred for, and we begin to understand what praying the ‘Our Father’ is all about.

    Evil can be a personal force. I believe in demonic forces, and the experience of the Catholic Church is powerful in this regard. Evil wants to hollow us out and consume our humanity until we become what we love the most, leading to hatred of self, others, and in the end, God. People are foolish to think that only what we can see is real. The world is much bigger than we can imagine.

    The spiritual cosmic war between good and evil is lived out in the human heart. Admitting that we are part of the problem (sinners) can be the first step toward inner healing and deepening our relationship with God.

    God is not to be feared. Awe, yes, but fear, never. Jesus said, “Fear is useless; what is needed is trust” (Luke 8:50).*Br.MD
     
    Marygar and Prayslie like this.
  2. padraig

    padraig Powers

    I some times look back on the 30 year war here. I grew up during it and experienced and did some really terrible things. It would be tempting to just say I wish it had never happened. But as St Paul informs us in Romans, all things work out for the best for those who love God. It was the war which made me what I am today, so how can I discount it?

    Romans 8:28

    And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose


    It is the same with the Spiritual War..and we are all of us in a terrible spiritual war. God uses all things even our weaknesses and sins to forge us into the likeness of His Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. It makes us warriors clad in the whole Armour of God, as we are informed in Ephesians.

    Ephesians 6:10-18

    The Armor of God
    10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

    18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

    So in a really weird kind of way the Satan and the demons actually are helping us when they go to war with us and by the grace of God we resist them. For so we are tested and purified in the furnace of affliction.

    Job 1:6-8


    Satan’s Accusation of Joba]">[a]

    6 Now the day came whenb]">[b] the sons of Godc]">[c] came to present themselves befored]">[d] the Lord—and Satane]">[e] also arrived among them. 7 The Lord saidf]">[f] to Satan, “Where have you come from?”g]">[g] And Satan answered the Lord,h]">[h] “From roving abouti]">[i] on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”j]">[j] 8 So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you consideredk]">[k] my servant Job? There is nol]">[l] one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns awaym]">[m] from evil.”

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2025
  3. Mark Dohle

    Mark Dohle Powers

    Well said, if we love God, all things work out for our good. Thank you.

    Peace
    Mark
     

Share This Page