10.5.12 "The Elephant in the Room"

"The Elephant in the Room"

Jeremiah 4:19 - 6:14
Colossians 1:20-2:7
Psalm 77:1-20
Proverbs 24:23-25

Have you been in the situation where you feel like you're walking on eggshells? Like there's something wrong, but it's too uncomfortable to deal with?

Jeremiah 6:14 (TLB) says, "You can't heal a wound by saying it's not there!" It's a very simple verse, and yet it's quite challenging. What does it say to you? I find myself considering quite a few different things.

The first thing I think of is my "gift" of procrastination. I keep looking for a bible translation that lists it as one of the spiritual gifts, but I can't find it anywhere. Sometimes I think my motto is "Why do anything today you can put off until tomorrow!" Applying today's scripture to my life, though, means "you can't get anything done by not doing anything!" Isn't it amazing how you have to do something to accomplish something?

Stress avoidance can be a way of life. It's like a child covering the ears saying, "nah, nah, nah, I can't hear you!" There's times we just wish things would go away.

Maybe it's past hurt. We think of something we've said or done that embarrasses us and we are ashamed. If we don't think about it, if no one brings it up, it's ok, right? It will disappear... wont it?

Many times our hands are over our spiritual ears and we're running from the voice of God. Jeremiah 6:10 says, "But who will listen when I warn them? Their ears are closed and they refuse to hear. The word of God has angered them; they don't want it at all." Running from the voice of God does not mean that he hasn't spoken.

Do you ever feel like you're repeating a test? Like the same problems keep coming up? Like there are recurring issues related to something in the past? Maturity in Christ cannot occur until we surrender to him all areas, including wounds that may be there. Saying the wound is not there doesn't mean it is healed.

Sometimes we can hang on to bitterness so long. For some reason we feel we can justify it. It's like a tumor. It stresses us out to think about it, so we just ignore it, expecting that it will go away. After all, no one can see it, right? Maybe it's our image we're worried about. What will people think of me if they see what I'm struggling with? Just because they can't see it doesn't mean it wont kill you.

I feel the scope of today's message is so broad, it can cover everything from hurts of the past to hidden sin. As we mature in Christ, it is inevitable that the Light of His Word will shine on these wounds. He wants to heal them.

We don't realize that the reason some of these things keep resurfacing is so that God can heal us. This is why he died. It's by his stripes we are healed. To ignore the "tumor" is like saying, "Thanks for dying on the cross, but you don't understand. I don't want to deal with my hurt. I don't think what you did is enough for me. I've lived with this so long, I'm just going to keep on going as I have."

What we also fail to realize is that a stance like that actually stunts the maturing process. It almost puts a "glass ceiling" over our growth. We enter a land of stagnation. We repeat the test. We start to get somewhere, and it comes up again. and again. and again.

Today's reading in Colossians 2:7 it says, "let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught."

Inevitably as our roots grow in Christ, they will tap into a part of the word that will begin to work on this wound. There may be a burning sensation as the Lord brings it to light. Our response needs to be to allow God to complete his work. Further response depends on the nature of your wound. You may need to repent, to forgive, to obey. In all things, it will always be to surrender.

God has a plan for your life. He desires to complete his work in you. "You can't heal a wound by saying it's not there!" Surrender all to him to day.


Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

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