Healing Every Day with Mary DeMuth

Mary DeMuth is passionate about supporting those walking through a healing journey. She has written several books regarding childhood sexual abuse and a faith based approach to recovery. You can listen to her daily podcast Pray Every Day on most channels and I love hearing her voice share Scripture and pray daily using the skill on my Amazon echo. This month she is sharing from her latest release Healing Every Day. I’m so excited that she has allowed us to share an excerpt on Counselor Thoughts.

Below is an excerpt from her latest book, Healing Every Day:

 

I am ignored as if I were dead,

as if I were a broken pot. 

I have heard the many rumors about me,

and I am surrounded by terror.

My enemies conspire against me,

plotting to take my life.

Psalm 31:12-13

Ever feel like a broken pot, shattered beyond recognition? Have you experienced the pain of being ignored? Have you endured the rumor mill? Do you ever face terror or anxiety when you walk through your days? Even though it seems strange to call someone an enemy, the truth is, we all know folks at one time or another who act enemy-like. If you’ve ever felt these sorrows, the good news is this: You are not alone. Others have been in dark circumstances as well, and we are blessed to read their recorded words in the Psalms.

As you continue reading Psalm 31, you’ll see that God beautifully shows up. He brings relief in the midst of dire circumstances. What’s telling is that he allows those circumstances in the first place. As we grow in our knowledge of him, we begin to understand the powerful truth that we grow best in adversity. Jesus tells us in the Gospels that we will have trouble in this world (see John 16:33); it is a known fact. But he also reminds us that he will be with us in the midst of it until the end of the age (see Matthew 28:20).

The important thing we learn is that even though circumstances don’t always turn in our favor, and we sometimes fight battles on all fronts (in the psalmist’s case, he faces isolation, brokenness, slander, fear, and the threat of harm), God will be with us. He loves to hold us through these terribly painful ordeals.

Our tendency, though, is to blame God for not rescuing us swiftly enough. Instead of leaning into the pain and seeking his paradoxical strength, we harden our hearts, then push him away, deciding prematurely that he is the cause of all our pain, or that he could have intervened, but callously chose not to. This is a normal response to unremitting stress, but in the long run, it will poison the relationship with God we so desperately need.

He said, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life” (John 6:68). Instead of spinning our wheels and plotting against the Almighty, we are better off when we surrender and seek his help, making peace with his sometimes-frustrating plans for us.

Jesus, I’m grateful to know I’m not alone in the way I’ve been treated. Throughout all of history, people have been hurting people. But I’m so tired. I’m weary of the abuse, the slander, the unrelenting stress. I don’t want to blame you in the midst of my struggle, but it’s hard. Would you teach me what you want me to learn during this difficult season? And would you please soften my heart toward you? Only you have the words of eternal life, and I desperately need them today. Amen