There is this question that I've come across which I found intriguing, "Can wounds (in and of) themselves become a source of healing?" It just seems a paradox ...
In Isaiah it says, "By his wounds we are healed," which pretty much answers the question but raises another ... How? New Testament Christians were exhorted to view their own suffering not as just a random thing, nor as retaliation of wicked people around them, not even as punishment for their own shortcomings ... Suffering was to be viewed as communion with the Savior who endured the cross.
Paul writes, "I want to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection," It's easy to give a hearty "Amen!" to that one right? But then Paul goes on ... "The fellowship of his suffering, becoming like him in death." E-Gads! There must be another way! Health, prosperity, name it and claim it ... But alas, this seems not to be the case.
There is this strange, dark comedy I saw again recently called "Being John Malkovich." The gist of it is that a man finds this dirty, cramped, cold secret passageway that takes those who venture in, (Shazzam!), into the mind of John Malkovich. Then you find yourself behind his eyes, feeling and thinking as John does, responding as he responds ...
Perhaps this works as a metaphor here ... The wounds we go through become not just healed wounds. In fact, it is becoming more and clearer to me as time goes on that they'll remain in some degree unhealed until heaven. But they do take us deeper into the fellowship of Christ's suffering. They help us to hear His voice in the Word ... To really hear the inflections of anger, heartache ... and joy. We feel them deep to the core! We can then share His Word with the anger of a betrayed lovers heartache, the urgency of a parent warning their toddler who is wondering unaware into the street. The whisper of a father who wants his daughter home, anytime of the day or night, dressed anyway the want ...
The value of our wounds is to be made into His image. We get to really see, think and respond to people as Jesus does. The twelve step group, coworkers, the lady next to you in church ... And to speak to them as He does. "Go in peace," "Woe unto you," "Come to me," and the voice is the same as His voice ... In empathy ... In love ...
Just some thoughts ...
