Healing Spiritual Wounds

Recently, someone was sharing about spiritual wounding they had received at the hands of the church family they grew up in.  When I first heard them say it, it was very familiar.  I had heard similar stories to this from various others in this group.  They shared that shaming people for not having faith if they were not healed after prayer was something that was done.  And, that someone who had bad things happen to them was blamed for it as if their thinking had somehow caused it.  Some even had their salvation questioned if they did not display speaking in tongues. I have never seen this type of spiritual abuse myself or been abused in such a way, but I’m recognizing the effects of it in many places.

I was woken up really early about this with a download of many aspects of it. I had not realized it, but this is much bigger than just some individuals it is in many denominations as well.  In response to real abuses by some individuals and some groups there has developed a “hyper-sensitivity” and misperception about faith.  The word faith, as a result, has come to more or less represent outrageous presumption, arrogance and the default suspicion that people exercising it must view and be treating God as their personal puppet who they can manipulate for anything they want.  This has been a case where an actual real wrong, done by people in the church, has been used by the enemy to deceive a whole populace of people in the church and has created such a fear that distorted notions have come to replace a true and real understanding of, value for and exercise of faith.  As a result, there are church faith families who never really even talk about faith and are fearful of the entire topic.  They don’t see any value, they see danger and it actually prevents them from living into all that God has for them.

Just as there is a counterfeit faith marked by manipulation, judgment and shame there is also an authentic faith that is marked by love, power, hope, and the truth of God’s promises, word and nature.  The enemy has stolen (through a hyper response) the inheritance of many faith families.

I always have to laugh; God brings in so much to help me see things clearly (He knows I need it).  Another big piece of this entire question came to me through a daily devotional I read.  The passage in Exodus 19:19 "When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder."  The devotional author talks about how the scholars struggled and worked their way through dealing with the idea that Moses could somehow command God in this scenario.  What the scholars concluded is that God used Moses mouth - so in effect it was God speaking to God.  That is a key piece that is poorly understood and warped.  That this is even possible or God’s intention is in question in many faith families.  Part of it is because many were taught and do not believe they actually hear or can be guided in real ways by God!  We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit.  Jesus lives in us now and we have received His gift of new life.  We are no longer our old nature - all things have been made new.  We are, in line with our design, one with God.  I am in no way saying we are perfect at it.  We are still making a lifelong learning of how to walk that out (putting off old/putting on new) ignoring the old nature habits and living into the fullness of our new nature (this is sanctification).  True faith, is always in line with our new nature - operating from God to God.   It's not from our old nature - from ourselves alone - so it's not presumptuous or using or puppeting God.  It's only ever (when true) from our humility to be submitted to step out into His agenda in reverence for and partnership with Christ.  So, when we pray with confidence - it's not us praying, it's us and Christ praying (from God to God).  We are His vessels for this. And – HE chose this.  We did not choose it.  We get to trust Him and learn to participate and grow in His agenda, His leading.

I acknowledge there are abuses, where people are operating from either their own flesh or failing to operate from partnership with God. Just as there are abuses and wrong understandings in some faith families about faith – there are wrong understandings in every faith family about something. But, God's design is that we would operate in Him and when it's from Him to Him – in humility, it is good and right.  My part is to believe God and the faith part is where there is nothing in evidence that my human eyes would look to for trust – but that my eyes in God’s Spirit see the potential, the opportunity – speak out and move from that which He sees.  It's amazing, and many times overwhelming how God does that.  It’s always humbling.  I'm always surprised anew at God’s willingness to work through humans for this!  And, I love how He is healing these wounds and wrong understandings in such beautiful ways.  And, it's not just about faith - it's so much more.   I see this about His Body - His Bride!  I certainly never feel adequate to the task – but I know He actually receives all the more credit because I’m not adequate. I want to just remain, willing.