Healing begins with Revealing

“I give up; I am tired of living. Leave me alone. My life makes no sense.” (Job 7:16 )

Job certainly doesn’t hold back when he lets God know just how angry he is: “I can't stand my life—I hate it! I'm putting it all out on the table, all the bitterness of my life—I'm holding back nothing” (Job 10:1 MSG).

So what did God do when he heard Job’s cries? Do you think he was surprised? Of course not! God knew Job was upset from the moment he got upset. He just wanted Job to admit it, to get it off his chest.

The start of any healing in your life is revealing your hurt. If you want to get over your emotional hurts, you have to share them with somebody.

Some of you are angry with God for things that have happened in your past. He knows it, you know it, but you won't admit it.

The starting point is to say, “God, I’m still upset. I'm angry that this happened!” God's not going to fry you with a thunderbolt if you confess your feelings. He already knows how you feel. You just start the healing process by admitting it.

What is it in your life that you're pretending not to know? What hurt in your marriage or relationship are you pretending is not there? What conflict in your family are you pretending isn't true?

You need to face up to it. That's the first step.

Maybe you’re trying to bury your past, but it keeps resurrecting itself. There are triggers everywhere that just keep the memory alive. Your past keeps popping back up because you haven’t dealt with it.

Instead of burying the past, you need to close the door on the past so you can move on to the present. Where you've been doesn’t matter as much as the direction you’re going today. You need to close the door on the past, but there is no closure without disclosure. You can't close that door until you’ve faced your hurt and shared it with somebody.

Talk About It

Today, you may need to write a letter to God and tell him your feelings. God understands your hurt and pain, and he’s waiting for you to talk to him about it. Putting your feelings on paper will help you express your heart to God.

Then, you need to get in a small group. You need at least one person you can spill your guts to and who will love you unconditionally. In a small group, you'll meet someone who will become a close friend and will pray with you through your hurts.