There is an old saying that says “Time heals all wounds.”
Is that true? Does time truly heal all wounds? Some people believe time does heal wounds while others believe time does not heal all wounds. What are your thoughts? From your own experiences, have you found that time heals all wounds?
Does Time Heal the Wounds of Grief?
Normally a person will experience grief after a painful experience, such as the loss of a loved one, a divorce, or the ending of a friendship. There are numerous reasons why a person could experience grief during their life here on earth.
Anyone who has struggled with grief, sadness, or lost in the past understands the hard reality that time does not heal all wounds. Time can oftentimes help with wounds, but time alone cannot heal all wounds.
I have personally experienced grief, sadness, and depression after my mom died five years ago. I was only a teen at the time and the harsh reality that my mom was dead sent pain, agony, and deep depression through me that I had never felt before.
This year marks five years since her death and the pain of her death and the absence of her remains fresh in my heart and my mind. Many experts, doctors, and therapists would argue that since it has been five years, I should have moved on with my life and not be thinking of the past.
Sadly, the pain of my mom’s death is as fresh as the day she died. Time has helped to an extent, but it has in no way healed the wound of my mom’s death. Maybe you have experienced the death of a loved one and everyone keeps acting like you should have moved on by now, but you haven’t.
Rest in the comfort that you are not alone. Even if you have not lost a loved one and you feel grief over another memory, event, or circumstance, know that it is normal to still experience sadness.
I cannot speak for everyone as I can only speak from my own experience. What I found to be the most helpful aspect of healing from my mom’s death is turning to Christ. There is no way I would have been able to emerge to where I am now if it wasn’t for Jesus. Losing a loved one or experiencing any type of grief is a horrible, painful experience to go through.
We need God all the time, but we especially need Him during times of grief. God does not delight to see us in stages of grief. It was never His intention for mankind to experience pain, grief, or death. God created mankind to live forever with Him in the Garden; however, the tide changed when Adam and Eve fell (Genesis 3:1-24).
After the fall of mankind, death entered the world and along with it, pain, grief, and sorrow. God will create a new Heaven and a new Earth after the Millennium where there will be no pain, crying, or death (Revelation 21:4).
Even if we are not freed from the pain of our wounds in our earthly life, we know that at the end of all things when we are with Christ, our wounds will be truly healed.
God Heals Our Wounds
With that being said, God is the only one who can heal our wounds. When we turn to God and trust Him, we can start to experience healing. Psalm 147:3 tells us, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Whatever you are going through, give it over to God. Ask Him to help heal you of your wounds and He will hear your prayers. God hears all of our prayers; however, He answers prayers according to His Will.
It could be that the wound you are healing from right now is going to help prepare you for your future with Christ. Perhaps the painful trial you are going through is preparing you for a future calling Jesus will provide in your life.
As Elisabeth Elliot has stated and written, “Your suffering is never for nothing” (Suffering Is Never For Nothing). No matter what painful wound you are experiencing today, it is preparing you to be stronger for the future. As the Apostle Paul says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
The comfort of God’s love is strong, firm, and steadfast. Even if we do not “feel” God’s love, we can trust that His love is always abounding (Romans 8:31-39). God’s love is not a feeling. Even though we don’t feel God’s love all the time does not mean it is not there.
Just because we don’t feel the oxygen around us does not mean it is not there. God will help us heal our wounds, but it will be gradual, and it will never be fully completed until we are with Christ. Time can help us cope, but it cannot heal us.
The only way to experience healing is to turn to God. He is ready to help you, give you comfort, and give you release from grief. This does not mean you will never feel pain from the wound again; however, it does mean you will have God holding you up under the pain.
As believers, we have the promise that one day we will be with Christ, and everything will be made right. All of our fellow believers will be with us, and we will spend eternity with the Lord. When we are going through painful situations, difficult seasons in our lives, or incurable wounds in our inner beings, we need to look up and remind ourselves of God’s steadfast love.
What Does This Mean?
We need to keep our eyes, thoughts, and hearts focused on Jesus and eternity with Him (Hebrews 12:2). Our citizenship is in Heaven and one day our Savior will return (Philippians 3:20). When we are finally with Christ, our wounds will be completely healed, and we will not feel pain from them ever again.
Until then, we have to keep our hearts, minds, and thoughts focused on Christ. We need to be devoted to reading the Bible and praying to God in all circumstances. Time can help us heal, but only God can truly heal our wounds.
For further reading:
How Should a Christian Respond to Grief?
What Is the Significance of ‘Jesus Wept’ in the Face of Death?
How to Survive the First Year of Grieving a Loved One
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/kevron2001
