I’m a huge "Grey’s Anatomy" fan; I’m talking huge. I’ve been an avid follower for 12 seasons now, so one could say I’m a medical professional of sorts. After giving my credentials, I would like to now give you some medical advice.
Band-aids cannot heal a bullet wound.
In fact, not seeking serious medical attention for any serious medical issue will make the injury much worse, as one faces the risk of infection.
That seems like some pretty obvious advice, right? Who in his right mind would think that putting band-aids on a bullet wound would ever work in the first place?
Only, here is the thing — it seems obvious for our physical well-being, but how about our spiritual well-being?
I think that we, myself definitely included, try to put band-aids on our bullet wounds. When we face serious hardships, we have a habit of turning to other methods to heal the pain that ensues.
We all have our own band-aids.
For some, it can be alcohol or drugs. For many, it can be relationships. For others, it may be food. Music, exercise, social media, you name it. The list goes on and on.
We find ourselves in the midst of a trial, and we begin to look to these worldly solutions to fix us, as if they can assuage the pain in some way.
Then, because we don’t look upward for a cure, we inadvertently make our hurt much worse. When we are at our weakest, infection begins to creep in. The infection is none other than Satan himself.
If a band-aid works at all, it is only a sub-par, temporary fix. A serious wound needs serious help and serious recovery.
You can literally watch your own life spiral out of control when you don't take your heartaches to feet of your Creator.
One of my band-aids of choice is putting up a good front. I am a literal pro at acting as if there is nothing wrong. If I act like there is no problem, it goes away, right?
When I was faced with the largest trial I have ever experienced, I put on my brave “church face.” You know the one I’m talking about- that “Oh-no-I’m-just-fine” face. I went on my way, covering up any pain that I felt. I thought no one could see the truth.
There is one problem though. Jesus could see me. Jesus saw me struggling, and He called me to bring my problems to Him. But I didn’t want His help. I was angry at Him for "leaving" me to fend for myself.
I can’t imagine how it must break Jesus’s heart to see His children struggling to tread water and stay afloat, particularly when He has the power to walk on that same water.
Things went from bad to worse, and I realized that my last hope was turning to Jesus and asking for His help because my problem had gotten out of control.
Situations have a way of doing that, particularly when we ask Jesus for help as the last option, rather than a first.
Like always, He not only met my expectations- He surpassed them. Rather than simply holding my hand through the situation, Jesus picked me up and carried me through it.
We simply cannot handle the obstacles that we meet on our own. We find a crutch, and we try to lean on it to get through. But the crutch will break. The band-aid won’t hold, and we will soon find ourselves in a worse situation that we were in before.
The point is this: we cannot find peace in worldly things. If you seek comfort in worldly things, you will only know the solace that this world can provide.
There is no true comfort, no true healing, no true peace that doesn’t come from Jesus.
Where the world will give us band-aids for our wounds, Jesus is able to offer complete healing that will last.
It doesn’t come with bad side effects like all those "healing methods" Satan offers, either.
When you doubt Jesus’s healing abilities, remember this: He made the crippled walk, the blind see, and gave voice to the mute.
He can and will heal you, but the first step is laying the situation at His feet. And, as in every medical emergency, time is of the essence. The sooner you bring it to Him, the sooner you will be healed.
I'd take heavenly healing over an earthly band-aid any day of the week.
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." -Psalm 147:3
