When I was about 13, I went swimming at a local salt water canal with a neighbor friend. We took turns diving off the floating dock into the salty cool water.
On my last dive, I wanted to go as deep as I could. I jetted into the water, as straight as I could and propelled deeper and deeper into the salty blue abyss.
My elation soon turned to panic as my lungs ached for air and I realized that I was indeed, deep. In my panic, I kicked my feet hard to flip my body back towards the surface of the water. In doing so, I cut my foot deeply on the barnacle and rock covered sea bed.
I lifted my self up onto the dock to survey the damage to my foot. I knew that in order to get back to the house, I would have to get back into the salty water...and I knew that it would hurt. Suddenly I understood the figure of speech of "rubbing salt in someones wound".
Salt hurts, but salt heals.
As a mom to 4 very rambunctious and thrill seeking kiddos, I have often had to clean up an endless number of scrapes, skinned knees and various boo boo's. The worst part of healing is cleaning the wound, but if you don't clean it, then it will never heal. Instead it will fester and plague you.
Oh you may heal on the outside, leaving a small understated scar, but the infection is not far off. It's sitting dormant just under the surface.
This has been my experience and since you're human too- I'm guessing it's been yours too. Life is full of wounds, from minor to deep. You and I have been wounded.
There comes a point in your life when you have to look at your position trapped on the dock, and choose to get back in the salty water.
I don't preach this from a perspective of someone who has lived an easy carefree life, I speak it as a wounded, battle scared, woman who chose to run away from God and hide my wounds.
Let me tell you the truth my dear friends, do not hide your wounds!
I had spent many years trying my best to be strong enough, brave enough, tough enough and spiritual enough to self medicate my personal wounds. All that effort was simply covering my spiritual leprosy with makeup.
If you were far enough away from me, then I could pass the test. But come close enough and my wounds became clear. I needed healing.
It started as a simple cry to God, "Lord, I know dealing with this is going to hurt, but it can't be more painful then living like this." Slowly, and somewhat painfully, God began to wash my hurt. I'm not going to lie, it hurt. It came with a cost.
The process is never ending, as long as I live I will be in constant needing of a good healthy dose of healing. Not just because I am in need of healing from wounds inflicted upon me.
It's the wounds I cause to myself.
It's my poor attitude, my faulty choices, my inadequate relationships skills. I am a broken person, I am not seasoned to perfection. And until the day I meet my savior, I am in constant need of salt.
Where are you lacking salt?
Where are you wounded?
Maybe you've carried your hurts around like a badge, telling the world how you've been wronged.
Maybe you've tried desperately to hid them all away where no one can see them.
Or maybe your walking around your life hurting others with your actions, words, and attitudes.
Let's take our pain to the person who's willing, ready and able to heal our pain and set us free from our wounds.
Oh you may heal on the outside, leaving a small understated scar, but the infection is not far off. It's sitting dormant just under the surface.
This has been my experience and since you're human too- I'm guessing it's been yours too. Life is full of wounds, from minor to deep. You and I have been wounded.
God administers the salt.
There comes a point in your life when you have to look at your position trapped on the dock, and choose to get back in the salty water.
I don't preach this from a perspective of someone who has lived an easy carefree life, I speak it as a wounded, battle scared, woman who chose to run away from God and hide my wounds.
Let me tell you the truth my dear friends, do not hide your wounds!
I had spent many years trying my best to be strong enough, brave enough, tough enough and spiritual enough to self medicate my personal wounds. All that effort was simply covering my spiritual leprosy with makeup.
If you were far enough away from me, then I could pass the test. But come close enough and my wounds became clear. I needed healing.
It started as a simple cry to God, "Lord, I know dealing with this is going to hurt, but it can't be more painful then living like this." Slowly, and somewhat painfully, God began to wash my hurt. I'm not going to lie, it hurt. It came with a cost.
It was worth the pain.
The process is never ending, as long as I live I will be in constant needing of a good healthy dose of healing. Not just because I am in need of healing from wounds inflicted upon me.
It's the wounds I cause to myself.
It's my poor attitude, my faulty choices, my inadequate relationships skills. I am a broken person, I am not seasoned to perfection. And until the day I meet my savior, I am in constant need of salt.
Where are you lacking salt?
Where are you wounded?
Maybe you've carried your hurts around like a badge, telling the world how you've been wronged.
Maybe you've tried desperately to hid them all away where no one can see them.
Or maybe your walking around your life hurting others with your actions, words, and attitudes.
Let's stop.
Let's take our pain to the person who's willing, ready and able to heal our pain and set us free from our wounds.
