Let’s take a look now at some of the things you will lose by getting healed. In most, if not all cases, healing comes with a price tag. I remember seeing a cartoon about a preacher who was ministering on the streets. He was about to pray for a disabled beggar on the sidewalk, but the beggar said, “Don’t heal me, I’m on welfare”! In this situation, being healed means the beggar would have to become a productive member of society, and he wasn’t willing to do that. This type of mindset can hinder healing and growth in a big way.
Those who deal with anger will have to yield to the Holy Spirit instead of controlling and manipulating people. How do you keep others in line if you lose your anger?
Those who deal with hatred will have to embrace forgiveness. How do you tell your mind to forgive and release the people who practically destroyed you?
Those who are bound by sexual sins will have to give up their perversion during the healing process. This is not easy for someone who has never experienced real love before. How do you convince your mind to throw out the only “good” feelings it has ever known?
In order to hold on to those “good” feelings, many people develop a rationalization mechanism. It is a mindset that says, “I know this is wrong, but since I’m hurting so badly, I deserve a little pleasure from time to time.” Sins and mistakes are excused because there has been so much pain. In order to receive healing, a person must lose this mechanism (excuses go out the window and we can no longer justify our sins). That’s a scary thought, and it keeps many believers from pursuing healing. Getting healed means we will be forced to move on from, “Poor pitiful me; these problems are just a burden I must bear,” to, “Wow, I’m feeling much better, and my old desires are fading away.” This is when Christianity gets really exciting. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome, and we start by overcoming the sin in our own hearts.
It is important to remember that we can’t do any of this on our own. We must choose to let go of our “evil medications” and be healed, but we cannot heal ourselves. Our pockets of pain need a real encounter with Jesus, not a self-help program. The information in this book is designed to help you understand your own make-up, not change it. Once you understand yourself, you can pray accurately about your situation. This enables you to identify your issues and bring them to the cross in a constructive way.
When you begin to understand your own issues and how you were impacted by trauma, it can help you better understand the behavior of others. Instead of thinking, “What is their problem?” or “ What an awful person!” you’ll think, “Hmm, they must be carrying a lot of pain, I wonder what may have happened.” A little compassion can go a long way, and seeing them through God’s eyes could enable you to accept them like He accepted you.