You Don’t Have to Hide the Wound

newfireministriesi

Oct 1

4 min read

One of the most common things I see in ministry is people struggling silently.

They’re hurting.

They’re fighting something.

They know something needs to change.

Sometimes they desperately want help.

But they don’t want anyone to know.

And I’ve noticed there are a few reasons why.

Some people look around and see someone going through something worse and think:

“My problem isn’t that big. I shouldn’t be struggling with this.”

So they feel ashamed for even admitting they’re hurting.

Others are afraid of being judged.

They think if people knew what they were struggling with, people would look at them differently.

Maybe they would think they made bad choices.

Maybe they would question their faith.

Maybe they would wonder how a Christian could struggle with something like that.

And then there are people who simply don’t want to be a burden.

They don’t want to weigh anyone down.

They don’t want someone else worrying about them.

So instead of asking for help, they quietly carry it themselves.

But church, this isn’t how the body of Christ is supposed to work.

There Is No Condemnation

Romans 8:1 says:

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…” — Romans 8:1 KJV

If you are coming with an honest heart saying:

“Jesus, I want freedom.”

“Jesus, I want to grow.”

“Jesus, I don’t want to stay here.”

Then shame should not be the thing keeping you from reaching out for help.

Conviction and condemnation are not the same thing.

Conviction points us toward Jesus.

Condemnation tells us to hide from Him.

Look at what happened when Adam and Eve sinned.

Their immediate response was to hide.

They covered themselves.

They heard God coming and tried to disappear.

Sin still does that.

Shame still whispers:

Hide.

Don’t let anyone know.

Don’t tell anyone what you’re fighting.

Make sure everyone thinks you have it together.

But healing often begins when we finally stop hiding.

James 5:16 tells us:

“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed…”

There is something powerful about bringing what has been hidden into the light.

What If You Could See the Wound?

Imagine someone walked into church with a knife sticking out of their face.

What would we do?

Would we gather around and start discussing all the decisions that led to the knife being there?

Would we say:

“Well, you probably shouldn’t have done that.”

Would we gossip about them afterward?

Would we tell everyone else what we saw?

Of course not.

We would try to help them.

We would recognize there is a wound that needs immediate attention.

We wouldn't want them to bleed to death.

Yet sometimes when the wound is spiritual instead of physical, we respond completely differently.

Someone says:

“I’m struggling with addiction.”

“I’m struggling with pornography.”

“My marriage is falling apart.”

“I’m angry.”

“I’m afraid.”

“I’m struggling with unforgiveness.”

“I've fallen back into something I thought I defeated years ago.”

And instead of seeing a wounded person who needs help, sometimes Christians begin examining the person.

How did you get there?

Why did you do that?

You should know better.

There may eventually be a time to talk about choices, consequences, accountability, and change.

But if somebody is bleeding, first help stop the bleeding.

Take Them to the Great Physician

Jesus said:

“They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.” — Matthew 9:12 KJV

The church isn't supposed to be a museum displaying perfect Christians.

It's supposed to be filled with people being transformed by Jesus.

That doesn't mean we excuse sin.

Love doesn't pretend the knife isn't there.

If I truly love someone with a knife sticking out of them, I'm not going to say:

“Don't worry about it. You're perfect exactly the way you are.”

No.

I'm going to help them get it out.

In the same way, loving someone who is trapped in sin doesn't mean pretending the sin isn't hurting them.

It means walking beside them toward freedom.

It means praying with them.

Speaking truth.

Providing accountability.

Encouraging repentance.

Helping them get back up when they fall.

And most importantly, taking them to Jesus.

Because ultimately, I am not the cure.

The pastor isn't the cure.

The church isn't the cure.

Jesus is.

Our job is to help people get to Him.

But Church, We Have a Responsibility Too

There is another side to this.

If people are afraid to admit they're struggling because Christians have repeatedly shamed struggling people, then we need to examine ourselves.

Galatians 6:1 says:

“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness…”

Notice the word:

Restore.

Not expose.

Not humiliate.

Not gossip about.

Restore.

And then Paul continues:

“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2 KJV

The person afraid they're going to be a burden needs to hear this.

Sometimes allowing another believer to help carry your burden is exactly what the body of Christ is supposed to look like.

We weren't designed to follow Jesus alone.

What Kind of Church Are We Becoming?

I want us to become the kind of church where someone can walk through the doors and say:

“I'm struggling.”

And instead of everyone backing away, somebody steps closer.

Instead of gossip, there's prayer.

Instead of humiliation, there's restoration.

Instead of condemnation, there's truth spoken in love.

Instead of pretending sin doesn't matter, we help people find freedom from it.

And instead of leaving someone bleeding, we help carry them to Jesus.

Church should be one of the safest places in the world to admit:

“Something is wrong, and I need help.”

Not because we celebrate sin.

But because we celebrate what Jesus can do with a surrendered heart.

So if you're struggling right now, stop believing the lie that you have to hide the wound.

And if someone trusts you enough to show you theirs, don't make them regret telling you.

Help them.

Pray with them.

Walk with them.

Point them toward truth.

Take them to the Great Physician.

Because there is no wound too deep for Jesus.

There is no struggle that makes someone unworthy of love.

There is no failure beyond His ability to redeem.

And there is no shame in saying:

“I need help getting closer to Jesus.”