Daily Devotional: Dealing with Wounds
- David A. Case
- Jan 18
- 3 min read
By David A. Case
Life Saying:
I can’t get healing from a distance.
“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” — Psalm 34:18
Wounds are guaranteed in this life. Pain is not optional, but healing is. If I never learn how to deal with the wounds that come my way, I’ll never become the person God has called me to be.
Pain points me to what I care about most. If I feel wounded, it means I cared deeply. Often, my first instinct is to retreat—to create distance between myself and the source of pain. That seems safe, but the truth is healing never happens from a distance.
God’s model for healing often involves revisiting the place of the wound. In fact, healing usually requires it. When an old wound is retriggered—when something in the present stirs up pain from the past—it feels like it's happening all over again. That’s because the spiritual side of who I am isn’t bound by time. That past hurt still lives in me unless it’s addressed.
This is why many people feel stuck. They’ve built walls between themselves and their pain. They’ve stuffed it down, avoided it, or excused it away. They’ve learned to function—but not to heal.
The wound doesn't stay buried. It leaks out. It shapes my expectations in relationships. It influences how I interpret new situations. It can cause me to misread others and even reject those trying to love me. Unhealed wounds create distance not just from pain, but from people—and from God.
True healing requires connection. Someone has to be the adult in the room. Someone has to absorb the pain instead of reacting to it. That’s what Jesus did. He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. He stayed connected to us even when we acted out of our pain.
The same principle applies to us. If I want to heal, I need at least one person who can stay present with me in the middle of my pain—someone who won’t escalate the hurt or walk away. That kind of safety allows me to be real. It gives me space to drain the wound instead of pretending it's not there.
The ultimate transfer of pain happens when I stop interpreting life through the lens of the wound and start seeing it through the eyes of God’s goodness. That’s when healing begins to flow. That’s when I start believing that life can look different—that God can redeem even this.
Sometimes healing begins with opening up to another person. Sometimes it requires a new perspective on someone I’ve blamed. Often, I need to revisit how I see God Himself. I may have blamed Him for what happened. I may have felt abandoned. But God’s desire is to draw near—not to accuse, not to abandon, but to heal.
Reflection Question
What wound in my life keeps getting retriggered, and what would it take to let God begin the healing process?
Prayer
God, I’ve tried to handle my pain by pushing it away. I’ve distanced myself from the very places where I once cared deeply. Help me come out of hiding. Give me the courage to let You near those wounds. Show me who I can trust to walk with me toward healing. I believe You are a God who restores. I want to trust You again. Amen.
Today’s Step of Obedience
Write down one recurring wound that keeps surfacing. Then, reach out to someone you trust and ask for time to talk. When the opportunity comes, share the wound honestly—not to complain or blame, but to begin the process of healing through connection.
This devotional was inspired by the book Heart Change Handbook by David A. Case. If you found it helpful, please consider it for your own self-study and suggest it to your church small group or recovery community as a basis for small group study.
If this message has encouraged you to pursue deeper transformation, I invite you to continue the journey through The Heart Change Handbook. It provides a practical, biblical path for spiritual growth and is an excellent resource for church small groups and recovery communities. Consider getting your copy today and introducing it to your group as a guide toward meaningful heart change.
👉 Learn more about Small Group Resources from Heart Change U.