Steps to Emotional Healing Through God's Promises
Summary
In this session, we explored God's plan and promises for achieving emotional health. Emotional wounds, unlike physical ones, can take years or even decades to heal. However, the good news is that Jesus Christ desires to heal our hidden wounds and make us emotionally healthy. Psalm 147 assures us that God heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds. To embark on this journey of healing, we must follow five steps outlined in God's Word.
The first step is to reveal our hurts. We must face our feelings head-on and be honest about our pain, fear, anger, and resentment. Holding onto these emotions is like carrying hot coals in our hearts, and it only harms us. We need to be honest with ourselves, God, and at least one trusted person. This honesty is the beginning of healing.
The second step is to release those who have hurt us. Holding onto resentment drains our emotional energy and prevents us from moving forward. Forgiveness is the key to letting go of the hurt in our hearts. It's not about whether the person deserves forgiveness, but about freeing ourselves from the past and allowing God to settle the score.
The third step is to replace old lies with God's truth. Our minds have recorded every experience, and some of us carry lies from our past that continue to affect us. We must replace these lies with God's truth, allowing Him to transform us by changing the way we think. This transformation leads to emotional freedom and health.
The fourth step is to refocus on the future. We must let go of the past and focus on God's plan for our future. By putting our hearts right, reaching out to God, and facing the world with courage, our troubles will fade from memory. Refocusing on Jesus Christ and His purpose for our lives helps us move forward.
The fifth step is to reach out to others. When we are emotionally healthy, we can use our experiences to help others. God comforts us so that we can comfort others in their times of trouble. This is the essence of ministry and a sign of true emotional healing.
Key Takeaways:
- Reveal Your Hurts: Emotional healing begins with honesty. We must face our feelings and be truthful with ourselves, God, and a trusted person. This honesty is the first step toward healing and freedom from emotional scars. [04:19]
- Release Resentment: Holding onto resentment drains our emotional energy and keeps us stuck in the past. Forgiveness is not about deserving but about freeing ourselves to move forward. Trust God to settle the score and let go of the past. [10:00]
- Replace Lies with Truth: Our minds hold onto lies from the past that can hinder our emotional health. By replacing these lies with God's truth, we allow Him to transform us and lead us to emotional freedom. [12:32]
- Refocus on the Future: Letting go of the past and focusing on God's plan for our future is essential for emotional health. By putting our hearts right and reaching out to God, we can face the world with courage and leave our troubles behind. [16:12]
- Reach Out to Others: True emotional healing is evident when we use our experiences to help others. God comforts us so that we can comfort others, turning our pain into a source of healing for those around us. [21:08]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:23] - Understanding Emotional Wounds
- [01:00] - Jesus Heals Hidden Wounds
- [01:39] - Step 1: Reveal Your Hurts
- [02:30] - Unhelpful Responses to Abuse
- [03:39] - The Importance of Honesty
- [06:13] - Step 2: Release Those Who Hurt You
- [10:57] - Step 3: Replace Lies with Truth
- [15:19] - Step 4: Refocus on the Future
- [18:44] - Forgetting by Refocusing
- [20:06] - Proverbs 4:25 and Emotional Health
- [20:42] - Step 5: Reach Out to Others
- [21:35] - Becoming Emotionally Healthy
- [22:21] - Embracing a New Life
- [25:32] - Discussion and Reflection
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide: Emotional Health and Healing
Bible Reading:
1. Psalm 147:3 - "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
2. Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
3. Ephesians 4:31-32 - "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Psalm 147:3, what does God promise to do for the brokenhearted? How does this relate to the sermon’s message about emotional healing? [01:00]
2. In Romans 12:2, what is the process described for transformation and renewal? How does this relate to replacing old lies with God's truth? [12:32]
3. Ephesians 4:31-32 lists several negative emotions and behaviors. What are they, and what are we instructed to do instead? [08:16]
4. The sermon mentions that holding onto resentment drains emotional energy. What are some examples given of how people try to cope with emotional pain? [02:43]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the promise in Psalm 147:3 provide comfort and hope for those dealing with emotional wounds? What does it suggest about God's role in our healing process? [01:00]
2. Romans 12:2 speaks about the renewal of the mind. How might this renewal lead to emotional freedom and health according to the sermon? [12:32]
3. Ephesians 4:31-32 encourages forgiveness. Why is forgiveness essential for emotional health, and how does it relate to releasing those who have hurt us? [08:16]
4. The sermon discusses the importance of being honest about our feelings. Why is honesty with ourselves, God, and others crucial for beginning the healing process? [04:19]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you held onto resentment. How did it affect your emotional energy and relationships? What steps can you take to release that resentment now? [06:27]
2. Identify a lie from your past that you still believe. How can you replace it with God's truth this week? What specific scripture can you meditate on to help with this transformation? [12:32]
3. Consider someone who has hurt you. What would it look like to forgive them, not because they deserve it, but for your own emotional health? How can you begin this process? [08:27]
4. How can you refocus on the future and God's plan for your life? What practical steps can you take to stop dwelling on past hurts and start looking forward with hope? [15:19]
5. Think of a person in your life who might benefit from your experiences of emotional healing. How can you reach out to them and offer comfort or support this week? [21:08]
6. What are some practical ways you can be honest about your feelings with God and a trusted person? How can this honesty lead to healing in your life? [04:19]
7. How can you incorporate the practice of prayer and scripture reading into your daily routine to support your emotional health journey? What specific time or place can you dedicate to this practice? [13:14]
Devotional
Day 1: Honesty as the Path to Healing
Emotional healing begins with the courage to be honest about our deepest hurts. It requires us to confront our feelings of pain, fear, anger, and resentment, which can be as damaging as carrying hot coals in our hearts. This honesty is not just with ourselves but also with God and at least one trusted person. By acknowledging these emotions, we take the first step toward healing and freedom from emotional scars. This process of revealing our hurts is essential because it allows us to start the journey of healing that God desires for us. [04:19]
Psalm 34:18-19 (ESV): "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all."
Reflection: What is one hurt or emotional wound you have been avoiding? How can you begin to honestly confront it today, and who can you trust to share this with?
Day 2: The Power of Forgiveness
Releasing those who have hurt us is crucial for emotional health. Holding onto resentment is like a heavy burden that drains our emotional energy and keeps us anchored in the past. Forgiveness is not about whether the person deserves it; it's about freeing ourselves to move forward. By trusting God to settle the score, we can let go of the past and embrace the future He has for us. This act of forgiveness is a powerful step toward emotional freedom and healing. [10:00]
Ephesians 4:31-32 (ESV): "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life you need to forgive. Can you ask God to help you begin to extend His love and forgiveness to them today?
Day 3: Embracing God's Truth
Our minds often hold onto lies from the past that hinder our emotional health. These lies can be deeply ingrained, affecting how we see ourselves and the world. To achieve emotional freedom, we must replace these lies with God's truth. By allowing God to transform us through His Word, we can change the way we think and experience true emotional healing. This transformation is a vital step in becoming emotionally healthy. [12:32]
Romans 12:2 (ESV): "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Reflection: Identify one lie you have believed about yourself. What truth from God's Word can you replace it with today?
Day 4: Focusing on God's Future
Letting go of the past and focusing on God's plan for our future is essential for emotional health. By putting our hearts right and reaching out to God, we can face the world with courage and leave our troubles behind. Refocusing on Jesus Christ and His purpose for our lives helps us move forward, allowing us to embrace the future with hope and confidence. This shift in focus is a crucial step in the journey toward emotional healing. [16:12]
Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 5: Healing Through Helping Others
True emotional healing is evident when we use our experiences to help others. God comforts us so that we can comfort others in their times of trouble. This is the essence of ministry and a sign of true emotional healing. By reaching out to others, we turn our pain into a source of healing for those around us, fulfilling God's purpose for our lives and experiencing the joy of serving others. [21:08]
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: How can you use your past experiences of pain and healing to support someone else in their journey today? Who might God be calling you to reach out to?
Quotes
The first step to emotional health is this: I must reveal my hurts. I must reveal my hurts. You'll never be emotionally healthy until you face the feelings straight on. Psalm 139 is very graphic about how we stuff our emotions. David said I kept very quiet, but I became even more upset. I became very angry inside and as I thought about it my anger burned. [00:01:39]
David is saying that holding on to hurts is like carrying hot coals in your heart. You're the one who's going to get burned. It doesn't hurt the other person. Hidden wounds don't heal, they fester, and pushing a hurt aside doesn't get rid of it. It just makes it worse. [00:02:09]
If you want to be emotionally healthy, you're going to have to be honest about your pain, honest about your fear, about your anger, about your resentment. You're going to be have to be honest about your hurt and your bitterness over what people did to you. [00:03:48]
The second step to emotional health is I must release those who have hurt me. I must release those who've hurt me. You cannot be emotionally healthy as long as you hold on to harbor resentment. For your own sake you got to let it go. You got to let go of your right to get even. [00:06:13]
Getting even will not take away your pain. Some of you done that you actually have been able to get back at the person who hurt you and you know it didn't solve the problem. You still feel the pain. There's only one way to get rid of the hurt in your heart. It's through forgiveness. [00:07:13]
You say but they don't deserve to be forgiven. I didn't say they deserved it. They probably don't but you know what, you didn't deserve the forgiveness that God has given you but he's forgiven you. The Bible says it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us. [00:07:33]
I have to replace old lies with God's truth. Reveal my hurt, release my hurt, replace old lies with God's truth. Now in the last session we talked about how your brain is little like a tape recorder. It's recorded every single experience in your life, everything you've done, every place you've been. [00:10:57]
If you want to change the way you feel, you got to change the way you think. If you want to change the way you feel about life, you got to change the way you think about life. How do you do that? But first you got to pray, and you pray God would you heal my memories. [00:12:41]
You've got to refocus on the future. You got to let it go the past and you've got to focus on the future. Get your attention off your past. Looking at the past is like trying to drive looking in the rearview mirror. You're going to crack up. Get your attention off the past and on to God's plan for your future. [00:15:19]
If you want to forget you have to refocus. You can't forget the past by saying I'm going to forget it, I'm going to forget it, I'm going to forget it. You're still thinking about it all the time you're saying I forget it. You can't do it that way. You're thinking about it the whole time you're saying I'm going to forget. [00:18:44]
You start helping other people. Now if you're not there yet you're not healthy yet because that's the fifth step of God's healing process. God wants to redeem your pain. He wants to turn around and use it for good. He wants to use your experiences to help other people. [00:20:42]
God comforts us every time we have trouble so when others have trouble we can comfort them with the same comfort that God gives us. You need to go read that passage all of Second Corinthians chapter one. That's what ministry is all about. God meant for us to help each other. [00:21:08]
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