When we’ve been hurt by others, we can sometimes make hurried decisions and wrong choices. We can rush into new relationships. We can retaliate. We can become bitter and resentful. We can look to unhealthy things to distract us from the pain we’re feeling. But God can take us on a journey of healing. And as we get further through that process, we can begin to make good, healthy choices. Some hurts take a long time to heal, but we shouldn’t feel discouraged; ‘He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.’ We need to give God a chance. He promises to ‘bind up’ our wounds, but sometimes they’re deep and need extra time and care. While we’re in the healing stage, we need to take time to search His Word and find out how He feels about us. That will help us restore our self-worth when other people’s words or actions have destroyed it. God loves and accepts us with full knowledge of our imperfections. We can love, and be loved again, but we can only love well when we also love ourselves (have a read of Matthew 22:39). God’s longing for our values, perceptions, and self-worth to line up with His Word. He wants us to realise how loveable, worthy, and wonderfully made we are. When our hurt feels overwhelming, it can be challenging to believe that what He says about us is true. But He will gently help us to get to the point where we know our true identity in Him. We just need to take it step by step, one day at a time, and rely on Him to comfort and heal us.

What Now?

Find some verses in the Bible which tell you how God feels about you. Write them down, and then go back to them the next time you feel hurt.