Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 (ESV)

 

Wounded healers do not attempt to avoid pain or suffering, but rather embrace it.

They don't hide their wounds. Or pretend that they are all right when everything inside of them is hurting. They don't try to ignore their issues, but they don't use them as excuses either. They accept that life can be unpredictable and cannot be avoided. This vulnerability serves as a foundation of trust and a testimony to God's love and faithfulness. Even when he was in prison, the Apostle Paul wrote many letters to encourage churches and people, recounting his own experiences of physical and emotional suffering for the sake of the Gospel, yet his joy in Christ was indescribable.

Wounded healers are lovers of God and lovers of people.

We have all been wounded at some point in our life, and the insightful wisdom we gain from our wounds can be a gift of joy and comfort. As God's children, we are entrusted with the task of blessing others. Rather than wallowing in self-pity or bitterness, Paul encourages us to trust that God will use our hurt and grief to bring comfort and solace to others.

Comforting one another builds faith and courage.

When we offer comfort and hope to someone, we are saying to them that they are not alone and that we believe in them. I have never encountered a human being who does not desire to be loved, valued, and respected. However, I have encountered many individuals who hate Christianity, and Christians in general, due to our poor job in representing Christ. We have a responsibility to address this credibility gap. Let us begin by thinking about the people we know and love. Rather than treating them as a problem to be solved, we should genuinely love and heal them where they are hurting the most.