To You, the One Wounded

Today, I met a girl.

I have known her for quite awhile, but today I saw her scars and I really met her. I saw the way that she puts up a protective fence around her heart so that she will not get hurt again. She told me of how she feels broken, alone, unworthy.

My heart cried out for her. Life is so hard. There is so much brokenness. So much abuse. So much hate.

And I cannot heal her open wounds.

I know she tries to hide them. In fact, she does a good job. She looks strong, put together, confident.

But today we mourned together. We mourned over all the things in life that she has lost. We faced the pain that seems to keep coming back no matter how hard she tries to lock it out of her heart.

And today, I had no words for those wide eyes sitting across from me. But I know where there are Words of comfort that can heal.

So to you, the broken one reading this, I want you to know that you are loved.

To you, the one with a mess too big to clean up, you are valued. 

To you, the one trying to forget the past, yet dreading the future there is healing and there is hope.

No, I don't have all the answers.  I never will on this side of heaven. But what I do know is that  I needed that beautiful girl to be sitting across from me today. I needed her vulnerability and her authenticity. It was good for my heart.

We need more women in the church to stand up and cry out with complete honesty about the things in their lives that have pierced their souls. We need more women to share that they are hurting too.

I need to know that I am not the only one.

We need to talk about those moments in our lives that we would give anything to take back. We need to talk about the sins that have plagued us for years. We need to talk about our abuse, our fear, our deep deep wounds.

Why? Because then we can fight the lies that Satan tells us. The lies that say we are completely alone. We are abandoned. We are known by no one.

Boyfriends like us, husbands love us, but no one can understand those feelings quite like another woman. No one can point our hearts back to truth quite like someone who has been hurt too. 

So to the girl who shared her life with me today, thank you.

I needed you today. I know you said that you feel like you are invisible and unworthy, but to me, you were, you are a refreshing voice that was encouraging to my heart. 

I am so sorry about your pain, but you need to know that there is a purpose for you. Fight the lies. Finish this race with endurance. There is heaven waiting for you one day, but as for today, we need more people like you in the church.

God knows your sorrows, and if I am part of Christ, then I want to know your sorrows too, to make that burden just a little bit lighter. I care. Thank you for caring about me.

“You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” (Psalm 56:8)