Chapter three in Things We’ve Handed Down is, like each chapter in the book, a letter. And it is, like each chapter, based on a book which impacted my life. And this chapter, like chapter two, is about wounds.
We know about wounds. We have all experienced wounds. We all have wounds.
But most of us do not talk about or deal with our wounds correctly.
Writing this chapter helped me face a few more of my own wounds. It also helped me remember what to do with those wounds, where to take them, and who the Wounded Healer really is.
This quote begins the chapter:
Who can save a child from a burning house without taking the risk of being hurt by the flames? Who can listen to a story of loneliness and despair without taking the risk of experiencing similar pains in their own heart and even losing their precious peace of mind? In short: Who can take away suffering without entering it? (Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Wounded Healer, 78.)
This quote from Nouwen is also included:
The man who articulates the movements of his inner life, who can give names to his varied experiences, need no longer be a victim of himself, but is able slowly and consistently to remove the obstacles that prevent the spirit from entering. He is able to create space for Him whose heart is greater than his, whose eyes see more than his, and whose hands can heal more than his. (Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Wounded Healer, 38)
Yes, there is that Someone whose heart is greater. That’s what I received as I wrote this chapter. That’s what I want you to realize as you read this chapter.
Writing the chapter, and writing the whole book, helped me revisit my wounds. It also reminded me of His wounds. I thought about them. I’m thinking about them. Those wounds. Those wounds He, our Lord, was willing to receive. For us. He received them for us.
I wrote the chapter thinking about all of that and wanting to respond correctly to the truth. To respond, I added a few suggestions. These steps help me receive help from the Wounded Healer:
· Realize what you’re experiencing.
· Recognize the cause.
· Request help.
· Receive help.
· Renew your mind—I often call that one “rewire your thinking.”
· Return to your first love.
· Rejoice in the adventure.
Think about those Rs. Think of a few to add. Think about my book and Nouwen’s book. Think about your life and your wounds. Think about the Wounded Healer and what He can do in your life today.
Ask Him to. Ask Jesus to be there for you, offering the help and healing you need today.
