Welcome to all the new RevTrev Readers who signed up through Twitter Tips, Counselling Corner, Ministry Coaching, Life Above the Negativity and the RevTrev Newsletter. If you told me you’re like to meet over Skype, I’ll be contacting you soon to set up a time. I’m pleased and overwhelmed with the response I got last week, but happy to meet each of you soon. It’s a 15 minute chat where I get to hear your story and we have time to pray together. There is still spots available, so let me know if you’re like to visit asap. Now on to the newsletter….
Wounds Well Healed
It was just over a year ago I was in a church to help launch a 40 day fast from negativity. I was going to explain the concept of “gravitas.” This description comes from M. Craig Barnes “The Pastor as Minor Poet” p. 49
It [gravitas] speaks to a soul that has developed enough spiritual mass to be attractive, like gravity. It makes the soul appear old, but gravitas has nothing to do with age. It has everything to do with wounds that have healed well, failures that have been redeemed, sins that have been forgiven, and thorns that have settled into the flesh. These severe experiences with life expand the soul until it appears larger than the body that contains it. Then it is large enough to proclaim a holy joy, which makes the soul so attractive.
As I shared that I felt I needed to expand the message. I said something like this extemporaneously, “Some of you hear take pride in your wounds. You wear your pain like a badge of honor. You think it makes you acceptable to God. But God wants you to know that your wounds hurt Him and what brings Him joy is your wounds well healed.”
After the service a lady came up to me with tears in her eyes. She told me some time ago God impressed upon her that her wounds would heal well. She said, “when you said that phrase – ‘your wounds well healed’ – I knew God was saying my time of healing is complete.
I was floored. I had just come from a long conversation with someone telling me how tough his life was and how he had a right to his bitterness. This lady had the opposite spirit. It was amazing.
How do you allow your wounds to heal well? This should really be a book, but here are a few things I’ve picked up in my own journey.
- Allow time – miracles happen in a moment, healing takes place over time.
- Don’t separate from community – real healing takes place in community.
- Let God heal you with His word – it’s not circumstance that matures us, too many choose to be bitter. It’s the word of God spoken to us (see John 15 – specifically verse 3)
Your wounds can heal well. That thorn can settle into your flesh. You where made for gravitas.
Mind If I Pray For You?
Lord help us to see situations the way you do. Help us to know you work all things out for our good. Help us to understand your purpose to grow us into maturity. Help us to not fight that metamorphic process.
Upcoming on RevTrev
I’m almost ready to launch 35 Days of Hope. It will be a free resource for people to be encouraged that they can Hope Now! I was surprised to see I had already written the copy. I write more things by accident than I do by planning. Some writers tell me that means I’m a haphazard writer. I think it just means I’m more of a blogger.
On Last Thing
Have a great weekend. We have wonderful weather here. I hope your enjoying God’s favor where ever you are in the world. Feel free to contact me. It’s the highlight of my week.
~Trevor
