03/14/2022
By Pastor Vinnie Cappetta
"The Miracle of God’s Healing"
Medical and psychological research agree that taking this medication is good for our bodies and good for our souls. People who take this medication benefit from . . . better immune system functioning, lower blood pressure, better mental health, better physical health, lower amounts of anger, fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, more satisfying and longer-lasting relationships. What is this miracle pill?
It is found in Ephesians 4… “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:29-32).
Forgiveness is the miracle pill! Yet, is much easier to allow old wounds to linger than it is to forgive. That’s because the healing process is tougher initially than doing nothing at all. I learned this the hard way when I was a kid. I accidentally pushed through the glass on a storm door receiving multiple lacerations on my face and arms. One of those cuts almost cost me my life. Bandaged up and sitting on the couch for a couple of weeks, I began to feel an itch under my bandages. I told the doctor that the itching was driving me crazy, but he said there was nothing that he could do about it. This itch was apparently part of the healing process. The more itching I felt, the more healing I was experiencing.
Healing is good for us, while letting wounds remain untreated is deadly for us. Leaving emotional wounds unhealed is just not an option for Christians. You say, “What’s the big deal about leaving a wound unhealed?”
According to Ephesians 4:29, what kind of language is indicative of a wounded person? Unforgiveness will affect the way we talk.
What happens to the Holy Spirit when a believer does not forgive others? (Ephesians 4:30)
The word “grieve” means to bring sorrow upon someone. When we choose not to forgive, we are working against what the Holy Spirit is trying to do.
God has gone to great lengths to offer forgiveness to us, and He expects that we will offer forgiveness to others and one benefit of forgiveness is that we will be better off for it as well.
Who do you need to forgive? Will you look to Christ to help you with this?
