Showing Up for the Lord: Healing the Wounds that Hold Us Back

If you want to show up for the Lord with the best version of yourself, I suggest you process your undealt with wounds. Can God use anyone in any way? Absolutely. But how you show up for Him, how you walk out your purpose, is largely dependent on you. Our life with Christ is a partnership. As believers, this requires our participation as partners.

If you're someone who, for example, avoids your feelings, is a workaholic, spends money to avoid, or is a people pleaser—know that you're doing this to survive. These coping mechanisms helped you manage pain and/or trauma growing up. Believe it or not, The Lord gave you those defense mechanisms to endure the difficulties and pain you faced when you were a young child. He knows how we're wired, and He equipped you to survive your specific pain points.

For example, learning how to people please because you had a critical mother. You needed that as a child. However, as adults, God invites us to give these things back. If I am operating out of my defense mechanism, which is rooted in my woundedness, then I am operating out of self-sufficiency. Often, this is subconscious, but essentially, I am choosing my own patterns of behavior to protect myself rather than trusting Christ to truly be my shield. Imagine how much more submitted you would be if you were resting in his sufficiency rather than your own.

The more I heal, the more I'm able to show up grounded and loving towards others. God's power is constant, but my ability to receive and reflect that power grows as I surrender the things that no longer serve me and are a part of my flesh. Healing is not a prerequisite for being used by God, but it does determine how I show up for him. 

So if you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or like you're running from the emotions buried deep inside, remember: God isn't angry at your defenses. He's asking you to hand them over so He can replace them with something far greater—healing, freedom, and a deeper relationship with Him. How you show up for the Lord is shaped by the healing you allow Him to do in your life. The question is, are you willing to participate, or will you keep running?