You Don’t Need a Band-Aid

Romans 8:3-5 ~ (The Message) The law always ended up being used as a Band-Aid on sin instead of a deep healing of it. And now what the law code asked for, but we couldn’t deliver is accomplished as we, instead of redoubling our own efforts, simply embrace what the Spirit is doing in us. Those who think they can do it on their own, end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God!

The Message bible translation is one that I always read with the idea that it’s more a commentary than a reliable translation. It does take some pretty wide liberties with the original text. However, this particular verse hit me differently when I read it in this translation. Whenever I get the “but why” questions about my faith, this is what I think about. My faith in Christ Jesus has healed me. It wasn’t anything I did or made happen within me, it was something that came from Him. My heart was a twisted, shredded mess when I finally allowed Jesus to take control of it. I had brokenness from not feeling the love and protection a child needs from their father. I had unimaginable scars from the devastation of sexual abuse, and I had built up impenetrable walls around my heart as protection from the continual rejection I received from man after man in my past.

I was listening to “Just Can’t Stop My Hallelujahs” the other day, and the line, “You rescued my heart, and I can barely breath when I think how great You are,” caused a catch in my throat. That is exactly what Christ did for me. He rescued my poor, useless heart. I was a wretched soul, lost in my pain and here comes the God of the universe with His overwhelming love, forgiveness and more importantly, healing. I could not have experienced all that I’ve experienced in my adventurous past without that healing. I would not have the loving, amazing marriage I have right now without that healing. I would not be able to, or I guess rather, I would not really want to help others along in their journey without that healing. The transformative message of the Gospel is first and foremost about the redemption and forgiveness of our souls. However, for me it transcends to so much more than whether I go to heaven or hell. That in and of itself was more than enough, but God wanted more for us. He wants a relationship with us, but even more than that, he wants us to be whole. He wants an abundant life for us. That abundant life includes being healed, set free from the ugliness of our past.

We are taught to be strong, self-reliant, modern women, not to depend on anyone. That ideology can be dangerous when we are trying to fix ourselves. A band aid cannot mend a broken spirit any more than it can heal an open chest wound. Our brokenness can only truly be healed by the One that created us. He knows what we need and how to put back together what the world around us destroyed. We only need to ask and allow Him to do that work in us.

If you have never taken the all-important step in accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please speak to someone you trust who is a solid, bible believing Christian. I promise you it will be the best decision you’ve ever made.