The deepest cut I've ever received was on my right knee. It was a miserable experience, and in fact, I remember it almost like it was yesterday.

I was a chipper 10-year-old girl ready to explore the world on a bike. I was visiting my grandparents' farm where the gravel terrain just didn't make well for quick and easy travel. My grandfather had a few bikes lying around the porch that he kept for his 12 grandchildren when they came to visit. My brother, though younger than I, had already grabbed the "bigger" bike, so I was stuck making due with the little bike. My knees were almost touching the bar handles, but I was okay with what I had because I wanted to feel the fresh farm air on my skin. We were riding around in circles outside of the house. We were laughing and racing each other when all of a sudden, BAM! I hit a boulder (Okay, so maybe it was just a pebble, but confessing I received a massive wound from a pebble is pretty pathetic.) I flipped off of my bike and smacked the ground, right knee and hand first. My knee dug deep into the rock as my hand pushed off the ground to escort me back to my feet. It stung a little, but I was in so much shock I didn't realize the pain that was about to come upon me. My older cousin and his friend shouted from the barn, "Are you okay?" I stood up, looked down, and realized that my knee was almost squirting blood.

I limped inside crying uncontrollably while I allowed my Memaw to clean me up. I sat in the recliner while she poured alcohol on my knee. I looked down to see that rocks were buried deep into my wound and that tissue was coming out of my knee (Sorry for those who are eating). Luckily, I didn't have to go to the hospital, and we cleaned the wound the best we could.

I still have the scars from the wound today. It doesn't hurt anymore luckily, and sometimes people even ask, "Is that a scar on your knee?" I happily share my story, awaiting the "Gosh, that's gross!" face that I receive in return. The wound I had took several months to heal, but it healed completely. I took good care of it. I constantly cleaned it, always changed my band-aid, and rubbed lotion on the top of my scars for complete healing.

I know that was the biggest physical wound I've ever had, but what about the biggest heart wound? I would say that the deepest hurt I've ever experienced was not feeling lovable or good enough. I've always struggled with self-worth since I was a little girl; yes, I'm being vulnerable, not a victim. Most of us struggle with self-worth at some point in our lives. However, did I take care of that wound the way I took care of my scraped knee? No, I didn't. Instead of tending to it, I ignored the pain, coped by not addressing my problems, and even allowed Satan to lie to me and make the wound worse. Why is it that we do not allow God to heal our spiritual wounds? If I would have let my knee stay uncleaned, it would have become infected. Do we not realize that our hearts can become just as infected if we do not allow God to tend to our hurts?

I find that it is so easy to push things off to the side, but a few days ago, God confronted me. I was dealing with pain that I have felt in my heart for years, and Jesus asked me, "So, why haven't you let me heal that yet?" Man, that stung. Why haven't I let Jesus heal something that destroys my relationship with Him?

I challenge you, don't allow Satan to develop an infection in your heart. When you hurt, clean it. Pray, stay in your word, and give it to Jesus.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." — Matthew 11:28