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The Wounded

Inflicted with a wound; injured.

Intro

The Top Ten - sports injuries

Ok, so today isn’t really about being wounded in a physical sense, but can you boast the full top ten most commonly sustained sporting injuries:

10. Hip flexor strain

09. Anterior cruciate ligament tear or sprain

08. Concussion 

07. Groin pull 

06. Shin splints

05. Sciatica 

04. Hamstring strain 

03. Tennis or golf elbow

02. Shoulder injury 

01.  Patellofemoral syndrome – a wrecked knee basically

But which is the most painful? 

The Wounded - what we’re talking about:

You don’t need to me tell you that life can wound us – the things we say and do, the things we should have said or done, can all wound. Other people can wound us; failure and shame, rejection and disappointment can all be lingering wounds in our lives. The battle to forgive, heal and move past hurt, loss or brokenness can be a wound that stays open and calls to you perhaps on a daily basis. 

Spiderman’s real character, the man without the mask, was wounded. He was hurt and in one film shouts at his uncle Ben in his desperate search to understand the broken link with his own father. 

A true story is told of a young man years ago who was also badly wounded, by his own brothers. They hated him because their father loved him and favoured him as the youngest son. Full of hate and rejection for their younger brother they planned a scheme to do away with him, kill him off and move on with their lives. They carried out the plan and the youngest son was left for dead, but he didn’t die. 

As the story unfolds the youngest son is sold into slavery, gains favour with his slave master and works his way up the ladder, but then finds himself in prison for a few years, wrongly accused. Forgotten, rejected and locked up he has time to become bitter and plot a revenge, but he doesn’t take that path. After time he once again gains favour in the kingdom and finds himself next to the most powerful man around. This elevates him too and he is put into a place of great power and influence. During a terrible famine in the land his brothers come looking for food and he recognises them as they are, now begging him for their lives. The story goes on and this family is restored, but the thing to pull out here is that the youngest son had a wound. Rejection, betrayal and pain from his own family. 

The wound however, whilst it shaped the journey, didn’t define the man and his potential. He could have given up, he could have never really lived and existed in a cage of bitterness, pain and ‘why me’ thoughts. He didn’t allow it. 

Action:

What has the wound been for you? 

Take this wound to God, speak it out and ask for freedom and healing in that place of pain. When you can, it could be good to share it with a trusted mate for accountability and prayer. 

Reflect on these words from Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.