Part Two
Tell yourself the truth.
Your brain is like a tape recorder. It has recorded every single experience your five senses have experienced – everything you’ve smelled, everything you’ve seen, heard, touched, tasted – it’s all in there. Everything people have said. Your brain is an amazing recorder. It’s recorded it all down – good and bad, right and wrong, true and false.
The problem is, your brain doesn’t always distinguish between things that are true and things that are false. Particularly when you were a little kid, there were some things that were said to you that were flat-out lies but you believed them. And if you believe them, you act on them.
Some of you are still operating on faulty data. When you base your life on faulty data, what happens is you build a self-defeating life style. You set yourself up for failure and pain and hurt. You’ve got to replace those tapes with God’s truths.
“…be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Rom. 12:2b
The best way to renew your minds is to prayerfully ask for Gods help. Then, spend time reading the Bible. Many people find comfort in the Psalms and wisdom in the Proverbs. Thirdly, begin to believe the truth about yourself. Who does God say you are?
Set your focus on the future.
Job was an Old Testament figure who endured some extremely difficult times. Look at his amazing perspective:
“13Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, 14if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent, 15then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear. 16You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by..” Job 11:13-16
Look to the future with hope and optimism. Your past can only hold you back if you let it. Move forward in the grace and mercy of God and believe the promises God has given you in His word.
Help others along the way.
The final step in experiencing God internal healing is to help others. You’ve got to redeem your pain. Use your experiences to help other people. God meant for us to help each other. He can use your pain for good.
The Bible says “3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Cor. 1:4
Part of the healing process is to use your experience to help others through their pain. It doesn’t remove the incident but it does remove the sting. When you can see that others have been helped because of what you have been through…it helps to put a purpose to the pain. At least you’ve helped someone else.
Tim Neptune is the Lead Pastor of Venture Church Naples, a new church plant in East Naples. For service times and locations, go to www.venturenaples.com or call (239) 775-5323.