If you were to walk into the Crump house right now there’s a good chance you’d hear conversations involving medications, treatments, and medical terms that I am unable to pronounce. The reason is simple, my daughter is in nursing school and my wife is a nurse. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for our dinnertime conversations to center around diagnosis and treatment options. There is much to be said about God’s goodness in providing such care options for those suffering in the hospital, but that is not the primary purpose of this article. Instead, I would like for us to consider a specific type of medical care as a picture of a deeper kind of healing.
When sin entered our world all of creation became corrupted. All of humanity is now subjected to profound pain and loss. We have to deal with debilitating accidents, cancer diagnoses, or the death of loved ones. As we walk through these moments of pain we also struggle with the emotions that come with those traumatic experiences. Depression and anxiety can plague our hearts and minds, which can lead us to cry out to God as the Psalmist did, “Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (Ps. 10:1)
Where is God’s goodness in those moments of pain? Is it still there? Moreover, how can the scriptures seem so callous when it says that we can “rejoice in our suffering” (Rom 5:3)?
This brings me to the illustration I mentioned earlier. When a patient is admitted to the hospital with a deep wound in their leg, a nurse will get to work dressing it so that it heals properly. If the wound is deep enough they will use specialized dressings or equipment to slowly remove moisture and infection from the wound so that the body can once again be whole. Often the application of those dressings is uncomfortable and does not bring about immediate relief, yet over time, they provide an environment of healing.
In the midst of our suffering, we often feel a deep wound in our soul. Even kind words from a friend or Bible verses from a well-meaning individual can be uncomfortable or frustrating. This is because the wound is deep and the application of such things seems trite and ineffective at the moment, yet the Lord may be using those spiritual dressings to provide for us a place of healing. Consider Paul’s words in Romans:
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings… Romans 5:1–3a
What is it that brings about the ability to rejoice in our suffering? It’s the hope we have in Christ. In fact, it’s because we have hope in our eternal reality that we are able to have hope in our current physical reality. In other words, it is the goodness of God displayed on the cross that provides an environment of healing for our souls in this pain-filled world. A wound caused by loss may ache for years, but as we apply the truth of the scriptures the Lord is able to draw away the infections of fear and doubt from our hearts and mend that which was broken. This journey is hard and filled with many tears, but the goodness of God is near to the brokenhearted so let’s hold fast to the truth while we long for full healing.
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:23–25
by Pastor Mike Crump