What are the wounds of the story?

As we are faced with continual disappointment and tragedy in our lives we are forced to make decisions on how to handle such.With a growing number of decisions being made on superficial emotions it is becoming more evident that society has forgotten that it is ok to be hurt, in pain, or wounded. Society has also forgotten the suffering Jesus endured for you and I because he loved us, he wanted us, and he adored us. He literally went to hell and back for you and I. It is an image of a groom willing to walk through and endure the worst of the worst to rescue his bride. 
Jesus has endured that for all of us, but we are so quick to hold anger and resentment towards him or even better completely disregard his presence.
In a world filled with continual put downs, disappointments, exceedingly high standards it is no wonder we struggle with acceptance and shame with eyes turned downward. "These walls are funny, first you hate them, then you get use to them, and eventually you depend on them." As our story unfolds it is turned from adolescent innocence to matured lack of confidence. Somewhere, at some point the story of happiness encounters tragedy and wounds enter the heart. 
You begin to question your happiness, your safety, your peace, yourself, and even sometimes your relationship with others. You feel as though you can't tell up from down and nothing you do or say is valued, because "shame has taken away your face and your presence."
So I sit here and ask you this, what is the name to your pain? Presence is so powerful. A sense of love, acknowledgement, and security is built into presence. Once you are able to give a name to your pain, whether it be guilt, pain, disappointment, acceptance, abuse, shame, ect. You will see that the doors you have kept closed to your heart begin to open. No one forces you to open those doors and tear down the walls that you have grown to depend on, but Jesus is patiently waiting for you because he loves you and is willing to meet you there. John 5:1-6 is a beautiful example of Jesus' willingness to wait for you and allow you to make the decision. As you stand in the midst of a battle field trying to dress the wounds know with a confident heart that the gospel can heal them, but only if you are willing. Embrace the the terrified heart and hold onto the thrill of life that is waiting ahead for you. Do not let shame paralyze you, but let the wounds become scars to a beautiful story unfolding before you.  




"enter into, and to live, and to suffer your story. Not just the story of the future, but the story of the past." Jonathan Denhartog