Finding Healing Through Pain and Community

Sep 14, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: Throw Off Everything That Hinders—Letting Go of the Weights

There are burdens we carry—wounds, hurts, and pains from our past—that act like heavy rocks in a backpack, slowing us down in the race of faith. These emotional and spiritual injuries, though often invisible, can hinder our ability to live freely and fully in Christ. The invitation is not to ignore or suppress these hurts, but to recognize them, bring them into the light, and allow God to help us cast them off. As we fix our eyes on Jesus, we are called to run with perseverance, unencumbered by the things that weigh us down, trusting that He is both the author and perfecter of our faith. [02:09]

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Reflection: What is one “rock” from your past—an old wound, hurt, or pain—that you sense is weighing you down today? How might you begin to bring this to Jesus and ask Him to help you lay it aside?

Day 2: God Comforts Us So We Can Comfort Others

God does not waste our pain; He meets us in our suffering, offering comfort and healing, and then invites us to become agents of comfort to others. The world may say that “hurt people hurt people,” but in God’s kingdom, those who have been comforted by Him are empowered to help and heal others. Our wounds, when surrendered to God, become places of compassion and ministry, transforming us into “wounded healers” who can walk alongside others in their pain. [09:56]

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Reflection: Who in your life is walking through a season of pain or difficulty? How could you come alongside them this week, offering the same comfort God has given you?

Day 3: Healing and Freedom Happen in the Context of Community

Though we are often hurt in relationships, God also brings healing through relationships. We need a constellation of people—friends, comrades, leaders, sages, and sometimes professionals—who can walk with us, speak truth, and help us process our pain. Isolation may feel safer, but it keeps us from the healing God wants to bring through others. Leaning into community, even when it feels risky, is a vital step toward freedom and wholeness. [20:17]

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (ESV)
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!"

Reflection: Is there someone you need to reach out to for support, or a relationship you need to invest in for your own healing? What is one step you can take today to move toward deeper community?

Day 4: Forgiveness—Releasing Others as the Lord Has Forgiven Us

Forgiveness is essential for freedom; it is not excusing or minimizing the wrong, but releasing others from our judgment and entrusting them to God. Without forgiveness, we remain bound to the pain and unable to experience the fullness of healing God desires for us. Forgiveness may need to be a daily discipline, especially with those closest to us, and it is a choice to trust God with justice and restoration. [27:45]

Colossians 3:13 (ESV)
"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Reflection: Who is one person you need to forgive today, even if the apology never comes? What would it look like to release them to God in prayer right now?

Day 5: Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus—Responding with Prayer and Praise

In the midst of pain, disappointment, or wounds, we are invited to fix our eyes on Jesus, responding not only with honest lament but also with praise. Prayer—especially praying for those who have hurt us—and praise are powerful ways to shift our perspective, remember God’s faithfulness, and invite His healing presence. Even when healing is slow, or the pain feels overwhelming, turning to God in worship and prayer keeps us anchored in hope and open to His work in our lives. [41:45]

Psalm 34:18 (ESV)
"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

Reflection: When you feel the weight of hurt or disappointment, how can you intentionally turn your attention to Jesus in prayer or praise today? What is one way you can practice this, even in a small way, right now?

Sermon Summary

Life is a journey marked by both joy and pain, and each of us carries invisible burdens—wounds from our past, hurts from relationships, and disappointments that weigh us down. Just as a runner cannot win a race while carrying a backpack full of rocks, we are hindered in our walk with God when we carry unaddressed pain and emotional injuries. These wounds are not always visible, but they shape our responses, our relationships, and even our connection with God. The invitation is to recognize these burdens, not to ignore or minimize them, but to bring them into the light where healing can begin.

Everyone experiences wounds—no one escapes life unscathed. The question is not whether we will be hurt, but how we will respond. If left unattended, these wounds can fester, leading to deeper pain, isolation, and even spiritual disconnection. Yet, God offers a different path: He desires to bring comfort and healing, transforming our pain into a source of compassion and help for others. In Christ, the ultimate wounded healer, we find both the model and the means for our own healing. By His wounds, we are healed, and through our healing, we are equipped to help others.

Healing often comes in the context of community. While people are frequently the source of our pain, they are also the means through which God brings restoration. We need a constellation of relationships—friends who know us deeply, comrades who walk alongside us, leaders and sages who offer wisdom, and sometimes professionals who help us process deep wounds. Avoiding people may feel safer, but isolation only deepens our pain. Instead, we are called to lean into relationships, even when it’s hard, trusting that God can use others to bring healing.

Forgiveness is a crucial step in this journey. It is not about excusing or minimizing the wrongs done to us, but about releasing our right to judge and trusting God with the outcome. Unforgiveness keeps us bound to our pain, while forgiveness opens the door to freedom and restored relationships. This is a continual process, often requiring repeated acts of surrender and prayer.

Finally, healing is found in prayer and praise. We bring our wounds to God, seeking His perspective and inviting Him to speak into our pain. We pray for those who have hurt us, not because it’s easy, but because it aligns our hearts with God’s. And we choose to praise, not as a denial of pain, but as a declaration of trust in God’s goodness and faithfulness. In every season, whether healing comes slowly or suddenly, we fix our eyes on Jesus, confident that He is with us, binding up our wounds and leading us into freedom.

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Key Takeaways

1. Recognize and Name Your Wounds Emotional and spiritual wounds are often invisible, yet they profoundly affect our lives. Ignoring them does not make them disappear; instead, they can become fertile ground for lies, isolation, and further pain. The first step toward healing is to honestly acknowledge the rocks in our backpack—the hurts, disappointments, and traumas we carry—so that we can invite God into those places and begin the journey toward wholeness. [06:39]
2. God’s Redemptive Purpose in Pain While the enemy seeks to use our wounds to sow lies and perpetuate cycles of hurt, God desires to redeem our pain. In Christ, our wounds can become sources of healing for others; we are called to be “wounded healers.” When we allow God to comfort and restore us, our stories of pain become testimonies of His grace, equipping us to comfort and help those who are suffering. [12:10]
3. Healing Happens in Community Though people are often the source of our wounds, God also uses people as instruments of healing. We need a constellation of relationships—trusted friends, wise mentors, and sometimes professional counselors—to walk with us through the process of healing. Isolation may feel safer, but it ultimately deepens our wounds; true freedom is found as we risk vulnerability and allow others to walk with us. [20:17]
4. The Power and Necessity of Forgiveness Forgiveness is not about excusing the wrongs done to us, but about releasing our right to judge and entrusting justice to God. It is a discipline that frees us from the poison of bitterness and allows us to remain open to relationships. Forgiveness is often a repeated, intentional act, especially when the wounds are deep, but it is essential for our own healing and for the restoration of community. [29:45]
5. Prayer and Praise as Pathways to Healing Bringing our pain to God in prayer—especially through honest, listening prayer—opens us to His perspective and presence in our wounds. Praying for those who have hurt us, though difficult, transforms our hearts and breaks the power of resentment. Praise, even in the midst of pain, shifts our focus from our circumstances to God’s character, anchoring us in hope and reminding us of His faithfulness. [34:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[02:09] - The Race and the Rocks: A Parable of Burdens
[03:19] - The Wounds We Carry
[04:53] - Emotional Injuries and Their Impact
[06:39] - The Universality of Wounds
[08:17] - Asking the Right Questions About Pain
[09:56] - Hurt People Help People: God’s Redemptive Plan
[12:10] - The Wounded Healer and the Enemy’s Lies
[14:25] - How Wounds Affect Our Relationships
[16:51] - The Invitation to Healing and Freedom
[18:18] - God Heals Both Suddenly and Slowly
[20:17] - Healing in the Context of Community
[22:11] - Helpful and Hurtful People
[23:59] - Building a Constellation of Relationships
[29:45] - The Discipline of Forgiveness
[34:55] - Prayer, Blessing, and Praise as Healing Practices
[41:45] - Hurt vs. Injury: Don’t Minimize Your Pain
[44:00] - Closing Invitation to Freedom

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Healing the Wounds We Carry

Bible Reading

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)
> Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)
> Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Colossians 3:13 (ESV)
> bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Observation Questions

In Hebrews 12:1-2, what are the “weights” and “sins” that the author says we should lay aside? How does the sermon use the image of a runner with a backpack full of rocks to illustrate this? [02:09]
According to 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, what is the purpose of God comforting us in our afflictions? [09:56]
In Colossians 3:13, what reason does Paul give for why we should forgive others? [29:45]
The sermon mentions that everyone carries invisible wounds. What are some examples of these “rocks” or burdens that people might carry, as described in the message? [04:53]

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says that “healing often comes in the context of community,” even though people are often the source of our pain. Why do you think God chooses to use relationships as a means of healing, and what challenges does this create? [20:17]
The idea of being a “wounded healer” is mentioned, where God uses our pain to help others. How does this change the way we view our own hurts and disappointments? [12:10]
Forgiveness is described as releasing our right to judge and trusting God with the outcome. Why is this so difficult, especially when the wounds are deep? [29:45]
The sermon talks about bringing our pain to God in prayer and praise, even when it’s hard. How does this practice help shift our perspective or bring healing? [34:55]

Application Questions

The first step toward healing is to “recognize and name your wounds.” Are there any “rocks in your backpack”—hurts, disappointments, or traumas—that you have been ignoring or minimizing? What would it look like to bring these into the light? [06:39]
The message says that God can redeem our pain and use it to help others. Can you think of a time when your own experience of hurt allowed you to comfort or encourage someone else? How did that feel? [12:10]
Healing happens in community, but it can feel safer to isolate ourselves. Are there relationships in your life where you need to risk vulnerability and let others walk with you? What is one step you could take this week to move toward community instead of isolation? [23:59]
The sermon encourages us to build a “constellation of relationships”—trusted friends, mentors, and sometimes professionals. Who are the people in your life that help you heal? Is there a type of relationship (friend, mentor, counselor) that you are missing and want to pray for or pursue? [23:59]
Forgiveness is described as a continual process, not a one-time event. Is there someone you need to forgive, even if it’s just in your heart right now? What is one practical way you can begin or continue that process this week? [29:45]
The message challenges us to pray for those who have hurt us and to praise God even in pain. Is there a specific person or situation you need to bring to God in prayer? How might you incorporate praise into your response to pain this week? [34:55]
The sermon says that healing can be slow or sudden, but in every season we are to “fix our eyes on Jesus.” What does it look like for you to keep your focus on Jesus when you are hurting? Are there any practices (like reading Psalms, worship, or journaling) that help you do this? [41:45]

Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to spend a few moments in silent prayer, asking God to reveal any hidden wounds and to bring healing. Encourage anyone who feels comfortable to share a prayer request related to their journey of healing.

Sermon Clips

“Even the strongest, fastest person can't run very well when we are weighed down and our legs are bound. And last week, we began this three weeks as we talk about freedom and the Lord setting us free. And so specifically last week, we talked about this idea of being free from performance and religion and the law of the knowledge of good and evil. The thing we saw in the garden of Eve choosing in her own way to become the judge rather than a childlike faith of trusting God and taking him at his word and following him and stepping into the judgment seat that we were never supposed to take.”

“I think the rocks that are put in our bag, in our backpack, if you would go along with me in this picture, can be, maybe not our only, but can certainly be some of the wounds and hurts and pains that we have from life. From our past, from our upbringing, from our family of origin, from whatever it looks like, the way people have treated you, the things that have happened to us. And I believe that we all have these rocks, that they are part of the everything that hinders, and that there is an invitation to run the race rock -free.”

“Every one of us, if you have gone through life at all, will come to a moment where you find yourself having faced that you have been hit, that you have been wounded, you have been injured to varying degrees. But if you do life with people at all, if you know people at all, or even if you don't, there are things that are hurtful to us. And they're not the obvious things that we can just see.”

“The emotional things that have gone on in our lives, the things that have wounded us and hurt our spirit, we can't see with the naked eye. We can't see with just our physical eyes. And so we go about our day with the appearance of health. And no one's asking us what's hurting. And no one's asking us what happened.”

“If we ignore them, like a wound that we understand with, you know, a fleshly wound, if you ignore it, then your injury, your wound will lead to other wounds. It will lead to chronic pain. It may even lead to death. Similarly, in our soul, if we don't tend to, the deep wounds that we have, the hurts, the pains, things that have gone on within us, it can lead to other problems. It can lead to other pains. It can lead to even on our own spiritual disconnecting from the source of life. And those things limit us.”

“There are many things that we won't have the answer to why this side of eternity. And we concern ourselves so much with the why, but I think some other questions are really important for us to ask. Like, when I experience pain, when I experience hurt, I think realizing that there are, there's a how that the enemy wants to use it, but there's also a how that God wants to use it. And if we understand the how, not just how it happened, not just why it happened, but how God wants to use it or how the enemy wants to use it, then we can actually move into what to do.”

“It's not simply that hurt people hurt people. And I would say it this way, we see in 2 Corinthians 1, verse 4, that God wants to comfort you in the trials you face, in the hurts you face, in the suffering that you have. God wants to be your comfort. Why? So that you can be a comfort to others in their trials, in their pain. Because in God's way, it's not that hurt people hurt people. In God's way, hurt people help people.”

“In God's way, there's a redemptive opportunity where the hurts that I've taken on, if we allow God to step in and bring healing and bring health to those wounds, to those injuries, then it actually becomes something that God will use to bring healing, not only to you, but to those around you. That's the how, how God wants to use the trials that you've been through, the hurts you face, the things, the rocks in your bag, is actually, he wants to bring healing to you so that you can be a helper to other people.”

“When we are healthy, and we get hit, it doesn't cause us pain all the time. When we have a wound, when we have a hurt, and that gets hit, it causes us to pull away, it causes us to recoil back. Like, oftentimes, it causes us to be mad at the person who didn't know that they were hitting a wound, but we're mad at them. In our anger, often we sin. And I think the big thing is, is that I feel I've been guilty of doing that even in my relationship with God. Where something gets hit in me, and it reveals a hurt, it reveals that there was pain there. And I pull back from God. I pull back from people, maybe.”

“There are some simple, these are very simple pathways that I believe that the Lord has given us in Scripture, unto freedom from those things of the past, freedom from the things from, whether it be our childhood, whether it be our adolescence, whether it be your family of origin, whether it be experiences you had as a young adult, or in your marriage, with your kids, with your parents, whatever, that there is freedom, so that we cannot look at the things and pretend they're not there, and shove them down, and act as if it's not real, but that we can be healthy, that we can say, God, this is a real injury. And I want to be healed. And you are the source of my healing. You are the one that brings healing to me.”

“I love the idea that God has two speeds. That God moves slow and suddenly. He has two speeds, slow and suddenly. And I want to just say from the outset, we believe in the God of the suddenly. We pray for healing physically and believe that God at times moves suddenly and in a moment will bring healing. We believe that God suddenly, that today, that we bring in the wounds that we can't see, the injuries that we can't see, that we can pray, and God might in a moment bring healing. And that would be my even, that I would come when David writes, he's like, oh, to go. When can I get to the house of the Lord, how I used to go? Like, that there would be this like, oh, I want to go into the presence of God. Who knows what God might do. Today may be the day of my healing. But he also moves slowly. And that's probably most of our experience, is we experience the slowness of his movement. And it's, it, it, honestly, it's always slow until it's suddenly. It's always slow for us until it's in a moment.”

“So that I can live in a healthy way. So that I don't have to be hindered from, yes, we, you, if you've said yes to Jesus, there is a salvation offered. And in a moment, you went from death to life. But the rest of life is working out that salvation and growing into the type of people that God uses to not only be healthy, but then grow as those who bring life to other people.”

“Our healing comes in the context of people. You've heard us say that so many times. I was so, we kicked off our groups this past week. Many of you, I've already, I've already been hearing stories of, man, we've started to do this group. And I've just decided I'm like maybe done with like summer breaks. Like what are we doing? Like come on, we need to, what are we doing? So anyway, but I love even just going through and seeing the wild percentage of our church body that is connected in a group. I think it's beautiful. And I think it offers an avenue towards our freedom, an avenue towards our healing. And so we are healed in the context of people, which is hard because we are also hurt most often in the context of people.”

“The enemy wants to plant lies in the wounded places in our hearts that cause us to avoid the shepherd. This is what we're talking about. That cause us to pull away from God and cause us to pull away from people. That cause us to lean out and become. And these lies are often, simultaneously, they're either about God or they're lies about ourselves. And we believe that either God is not good or God is not who other people say he is or God is not the God that I've read about in the Bible. And if the enemy can get us to believe those false lies, those false things about God, then I pull away from God. Or we begin to start to believe about ourselves. I'm not actually worthy of his love. I'm not worthy of what he said about me. And so I'm going to pull away.”

“I love our friend who we worked with for years, Glenn Packham, talks about the idea of a constellation of relationships. And many of us look for that, like, North Star relationship. And can I have this, the best friend, and if I have one best friend that will fill every need that I have, then that's all I need in life. But the truth is, is there are very few of us that will ever find that one person. And I don't know that we were even made to have that one person. But that there would be a constellation, if you think of stars, of relationships that we have.”

“I think sometimes we need friends, we need comrades, we need leaders, we need sages. I think sometimes we need professionals, we need people who just who in a professional context even specifically like counseling like I am pro counseling good Christian counseling I think can help us walk in a biblical manner pointing us to Jesus and so I would even just say like really helpful in the context of if I have a if I'm going through something counseling is like where there is a leaning into a specific wound where it's like God has brought something up in my life and I know that this thing happened and I don't have just on my own the ability and the tools to process this to work through this and so I need to bring in some outside professional help.”

“Forgiveness is necessary because we're in relationship with people and people are gonna hurt us and if we don't learn that the ability to forgive then we're just gonna start bouncing around from friendship to friendship relationship to relationship always holding a fence towards someone and leaving as soon as they hurt us and so we have to learn the ability to forgive.”

“Forgiveness is not saying things are fine, it's not pushing it down. Forgiveness is not saying that things were okay and what happened was okay. Forgiveness is even going back to last week releasing from me being in the seat of judgment and to God I'm gonna trust you and I'm gonna release them from my judgment I'm gonna allow you to work what you are gonna do and I'm gonna trust in you.”

“Would we do the work of forgiveness where we need to so that we can have relationships that bring healing.”

“With the helpful people in your life I want to invite you to seek wise counsel this is what Proverbs talks about that we seek wise counsel that we would have people speaking into our life that constellation of friendships right and whether that's a whether that's a counselor a pastor a friend a sage whatever would we get good advice but would we then take that advice to God in prayer he's the one that gets the final say and it just because a counselor said it doesn't make it gospel just because a pastor says it's a good idea doesn't make it the best idea we take all things and we submit it to the Holy Spirit we submit it to the scripture we say God what are you saying and in prayer we take the people that God has put in our life the people that we have friendship with and we take all their good ideas well -intentioned and not and we said God what do you say and God would you help me understand and God would you give me clarity.”

“It's just real hard to hate people I pray for, it's just real hard to allow anger and hate to live on the inside and there are times I'm just confession maybe I should be confession there are times I want that anger in there and I'm convicted to pray and I'm like I don't want to because I know what you're gonna say or I know what's gonna happen when I pray for them and it's this invitation of the Lord to pray for those that have hurt us again this is not saying that the way that people have hurt you is okay it is not saying that the circumstance that has brought you pain was good and fine but would we bless those who have brought pain in the midst of our life.”

“Would we invite God into the rocks that we're carrying and when those moments happen God where were you God what are you saying today God what is it that you want me to know and this I think is part of how we respond in prayer.”

“When we read the Psalms over and over again where David and the other authors of Psalms command us to praise command us to declare of God's goodness of who he is of what he's done and that we would even in Psalm 42 we read it I mean just throughout the Psalms David why so downcast oh my soul put your hope in God there are so many Psalms of lament that are beautiful and needed and and time after time after time are turned into praise because we don't just stay in the why so downcast oh my soul but it is turned into put your hope in God and it is turned into praise.”

“It's so easy to look at other people, it's so easy to look at the circumstances that we find ourselves, it's so easy to to to look at the news, it's so easy to look at the people that we love that are hurt, it's so easy to look and I'm not saying we don't look at those things, I'm saying we fix our eyes on Jesus, I'm saying I'm not saying we live in ignorance to what's going on, I'm saying we fix our eyes on Jesus, we turn our attention to him, we look to him and the praise I believe when we remember who he is and we proclaim what he has done it gives us right perspective so it's not ignoring pain it's not ignoring problems it's remembering who has the final say it's remembering who he is in the midst of them what he has promised us it is not like toxic positivity it is not just I'm gonna put on this fake smile and pretend things are fine it is even in the midst of things not being fine I know who God is I know who what God has said I know what God has done and sometimes I have to remember it because it's not easy to remember in the moment and the one of the easiest ways the easiest wrong word one of the greatest ways that we remember it is through praise so declaring who God is is through opening the word turn to psalms read it turn it into a prayer praise remember what he's done.”

“If you're in the place of sorrow or pain or hurt or you ever have been you are not the only one and also you are not alone it's not just your constellation of people that will be with you but God promises to be with us Psalm 34 18 the Lord is close to the brokenhearted he saves those who are crushed in spirit Psalm 147 3 he heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds 2nd Kings 25 I have heard your prayer and seen your tears I will heal you this is the invitation that we have that we would fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross scorning its shame because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross we are invited into freedom from the wounds and hurts and pains that life will inevitably bring.”

“There's many of us who maybe feel like we've been hurt not injured but we're actually carrying around like real deep things that need deep healing and would we not belittle the things that have happened by just trying to say I'm going to grip my teeth and pretend like things are fine and our question is God would you show me where are the areas that I'm hurt and maybe I need some friends to come along and encourage me where are the areas that I need time to heal and I need to not fill in the blank of what it would be but I need to not do that for a while because I need to just take some time but where are there like real injuries and God we need to do some like heavy lifting in the healing department and God would you do it suddenly but I trust you're slow I trust your process.”

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