Does time really heal?

from Lagos, Nigeria

Over and over again, I have heard people say “time heals all wounds,” really? Does time really heal? I don’t think time has the ability to heal at all.

Lately, I reminisced about a certain little girl that I once knew, this little girl was a product of an affair, a love story turned sour, one that left her mother who was free-spirited and believed in love, lonely and helpless. This little girl understood the pain of rejection right from her childhood, growing up in a single parent home and yearning for the love of a father who never wanted her. Time flew by but her wounds never healed.

As she grew older, she had to stay with her grandparents because her mother needed to get her life back together again. She loved being there, but it was in that house that she loved, and with these people, she thought she could trust that she incurred more injury. One day, an uncle of hers called her in and molested her, she didn’t know how to feel, this was someone she trusted. She began to feel even more rejected than ever, “something must be wrong with me” she thought.

Time went by, but her wounds were getting deeper, it didn’t heal, she was a victim of molestation two more times; one from a sleepover at a family friend’s place and the other from a neighbor. All men she trusted and loved but who took turns in hurting her and leaving her more confused than when they met her.

Time went by but the craving to be loved was still there, not just that, she was hell-bent on finding out why she couldn’t just be loved the way she was, why she had to be a victim at all times. It was in her quest for love, in her quest to fill her father’s void that she began to date series of men, but dating for her caused more harm than good. She sure did know how to pick them, all who she chose to date, picked on her, abused her verbally, took advantage of her desire to be loved and clawed their way through her finances, not only that, they also cheated on her severally. Each time she dated, she ended up worse than the previous one.

It was one day, she decided she was tired of this “merry go round” lifestyle. She was done, she had a silent death wish and a vow never to get involved with men, she declared herself “unloved and unwanted,” one who didn’t deserve to be loved or be treated kindly. But as she made those vows to herself, she didn’t know that God was listening. He whispered gently into her ears; ¹Jeremiah 30:17;‘For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord, ‘Because they have called you an outcast, saying: “It is Zion; no one cares for her.”’

Heal me she thought, but how? It’s been years, but I’m still not over this, my experiences haunt me, the memories destroy my self-esteem, it’s been so rough, I have decided I don’t deserve good things, and I am learning to live with it until I die.

The first thing God did, was to position His children around her to succor her, “she was a weary traveler in this earthly sojourn,” and once the word of God they spoke to her found fertile soil in her heart, it grew into peace and her hope was revived.

Little by little she has opened up to God, and they are working together to make her whole again, healed without scars.

So, NO time doesn’t heal all wounds, God does! God is able to heal all emotional wounds without scars. He is able to restore your mind to health if you’ve been abused, oppressed, harassed, and depressed. You are not alone any longer, He has adopted you, you are a part of His family, He is able to line up good people along your way and change your experiences from bad to good. All you have to do is open up to Him and ask Him for help. He is sure to leave the 99 and come running to meet you halfway with open arms.

¹New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation  Jr.30:17