You’ve heard me say it a million times… “Everyone needs healing.” But on days when I really allow that truth to sink into my heart, I find myself responding to the world around me with a new level of grace and love.
This past Sunday morning started out rough for me. On Saturday night I woke up just a little past midnight and never went back to sleep. Sundays can be long days for me and my routine is very important. But as I prayed throughout the night I really felt God prompting me to remember something in the midst of the message prep, the long hours, and the routine: Everyone needs healing.
I go to bed the same time every Saturday night. 9:00 on the nose.
I wake up the same time every Sunday morning. 4:30 am like clockwork.
I eat the same breakfast and follow the same rigid routine that helps me navigate speaking five times each Sunday.
However, this past Sunday morning as I went through the same McDonald’s drive-thru as always at exactly 7:05 AM to get my predictable bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit, I received an unexpected knock on my truck window.
I recognized her face immediatley. It was a former homeless lady who we’ve helped out over the years at Cross Point. In fact, I wrote about her in Plan B and she’s really come a long way. But recently she’s been struggling again. She was cold, hungry, and desperate for a ride. The idea of not getting to my office on time on a Sunday morning really threw me for a loop.
Then I thought: Everyone Needs Healing.
I reluctantly told her to get in the truck and I would give her a lift.
Of course the, “just down the street” ride she requested turned into a 25 minute round trip for me. We had a great conversation though and as she got out of the car I prayed with her, held her hand, looked her in the eye and said, “We believe in you. You know that right?” She didn’t respond but tears started to well up in her eyes.
Later that morning after one of our services I met a lady I would guess was in her 30′s. She was quiet, extremely shy, and wouldn’t look me in the eyes. She just stood there staring at the ground. My first thought was, ‘Come on lady. If you want to chat let’s chat. If not, there are other people in line’ (amazing just how pre-occupied and heartless I can be sometimes).
Then I thought: Everyone Needs Healing.
I gently put my hand on her shoulder and said, “Are you okay ma’am”. She was not okay. In fact, she would go on to tell me the horrifying story of how her father forced her to have sex for over five years with her own brother so he could watch.
How do you respond to that? My heart broke for her.
I could go on and on. All day long, person after person, conversation after conversation, I was reminded of just how desperately we all need healing.
I’m wondering what would happen today if all day long you simply remembered, “Everyone needs healing”.
Would it change the way you talk to the guy at the gas station?
Would it change how you respond to the person sitting in the cubical next to you?
How about the friend that’s been driving your crazy lately?
Everyone needs healing. Everyone.
Excellent post Pete. Blessed to have you as a pastor and to know & see how God works through you. Nearly 8 months ago, you helped begin a healing process for me by simply praying with a woman who couldn’t get past her tears enough to tell you WHY I needed to pray with ANYONE. For me, that was the equivalent of you opening your truck door. Thank you.
P.S. Praying for you and the whole team as you head to India!! Can’t wait to hear all about it. Please keep Amber and Adam in line. You know what ridiculous trouble makers they are.
Absolutely true.
Sometimes the things that interrupt our routines and time sensitive schedules can turn out to be some of the most important and life-changing moments throughout the day. The are like ‘life-illustrations.’ These kinds of experiences made up the bulk of Jesus day to day interactions; funny thing is, the Gospel writers deemed those very interactions to be significant enough to include them into their accounts. What can we learn from that?
Safe travels and blessings, Pete, as you travel to India.
Well-said. Even when we manage to put up a tough exterior, we all need healing.
I think I was in counseling for almost a year before some old wounds started to surface. But not once did my counselor say, “You couldn’t have said this twenty sessions ago?!”
I can relate, too, about disruptions to routine. Sometimes I get so focused on the task ahead that I forget that God may have a different plan.
AMEN! Really been trying to live that out in my life day to day this year. Thank you for the reminder and encouragement.
Pete, bro….as a pastor, I needed to hear that today. I get so preoccupied sometimes with “doing” ministry, that I forget to minister. That’s going on my wall in front of my desk…EVERYONE NEEDS HEALING.
Thanks!
It happens to all of us Bobby.
I love that you remind us of this on a regular basis. It reminds me to extend grace to strangers… the ones who get in our way, are rude to us or others around them, who tend to walk through the world as if they are the only ones here. If I don’t extend grace, I’m just like them.
Knowing that they are probably pre-occupied with their own stresses and heartaches reminds me to not get mad at them, but to at least have compassion for them. Still working on the “praying for them” – it simply doesn’t come to mind yet.
Thank you for this, Pete. I’ve been kind of mopey today, but I just asked God to make me an instrument of His healing today. Thank you for helping me get my mind off of myself and onto what I really need to be about. It was also a good reminder that I need healing, too. Thanks again!
I am constantly amazed time after time at the way God delivers messages that I need to hear. Thanks Pete for delivering this message today!
Amen, Pete.
Pete. What an amazing personal experience- one that I will remember today as I work with students at school. I can’t believe you preach 5 times on Sunday mornings. Such endurance you need to have to sustain the energy thoughout the day. God bless you and everyone at Cross Point for helping others grow deeper in their walk with God.
Great post. We can so easily forget this. As I was reading this I was reminded of a time in my own life when I was in desperate need of healing. I had someone share with me that they had struggled with the same issue in their life and then they said something that stuck with me…”I believe in you. I know you can do this.” For some reason, just knowing that this person didn’t think I was a hopeless case filled me with so much hope. And God can do anything no matter how hopeless things might look! Thank you!
Pete, this is a huge challenge to me! I know that there are so many times I rush past people and don’t stop and take time to truly listen to them and their needs. Thank you for the encouragement on this one and sharing your own moments of hesitation with us!
Agreed! Everyone.
I will try to remember that thought “everyone needs healing” today. It would change how I respond to the people around me for sure. thanks…..
so true, and sooooo powerful!
Suddenly my issues don’t seem so big.
What great reminder though of the fact that even if we need to be healed we can still be part of the healing process for others.
The third or so to the last comment
“How about the friend that’s been driving your crazy lately?”
yelled to me louder than other things, thanks. Why people do the things they do, say the things they say, act ‘that’ way all speak of some need in their life. Sometimes it’s plainly a need for healing, someone to reach out and touch them physically and show genuine concern and compassion. A friend who is a licensed masseusse (sp?) says that the human touch is more healing than we’ll ever know. Thanks, I’ll repost on Facebook if you don’t mind.
Wow you have no idea how timely this message is for me. I have not read my Bible for quite some time and have been feeling the need to do so again. I spent at least an hour reading in Matthew this morning and although I have read it many times I saw it in a new light. The word HEALING kept jumping out at me over and over again. And it is not just healing of a broken leg or a disease it is a complete healing. Body, mind and spirit. I used to feel like a bad Christian because I wasn’t “converting” tons of people. It is not about converting but about LOVING and HEALING. Thanks for the confirmation and for being vulnerable in your blog. God Bless,
Dede
Remembering this does indeed change me, how I interact with others, how I love them. Something to think about again and again.
Thank you so much for the reminder this morning. We are often in to much of a hurry to TRULY take the time to listen to others. Thanks again!
I cannot imagine the courage it took for her to confess that to you that morning. I cried at the thought.
It serves to punctuate the fact that God has blessed you with the ability to love on so many people with your words and deeds that individuals come to you to pour out their hearts and to not be afraid of judgement. They will be loved on by God through you Pete.
Simply awesome.
Wow. Everyone really does need healing. I think I lose sight of how blessed I am and begin to think that everyone else is just like me. People are hurting. They need healing.
This is such a critical reminder. Thank you for it. Thank you for breaking your routine for that lady. THank you for lots of things. Praying for your India trip and all that will be accomplished through the CP team.
So true. You are the man Pete.
Wow, Pete — thanks for this post. So often I need to remind myself of this very thing, especially in my everyday routine of life. I can’t imagine how often I probably breeze right past people who might need someone to listen, just because I’m not even paying attention or allowing myself to be open to those discussions. I so appreciate your honesty, as always. Great thoughts, brother.
WOW WOW WOW!!! You have challenged me to slow down today and be more aware!!!
You are so “right on” with this post. Praying for you and your India trip.
Wow, Pete. This is some amazing writing. I really needed to see this today. Keep it up!
My heart literally breaks for those hurting deeply. It’s so easy in ministry to get on a routine and not want to deviate from it. Trust me, I’m really guilty of this myself.
love that.
always great to be reminded. thanks.
Thank you for sharing your personal experience and for being so honest about it. I personally think fear keeps me from reaching out more. My evangelism skills are always a work in progress. I try to act like a person that someone would want to be like, and give the credit to God.
) My brother is a recovering drug addict, my mom is an alcoholic and my other brother and sister don’t live the way they should at all. I feel sad and discourage about it often. My church family lifts my spirits and their prayers are priceless. You remind me and everyone else that everyone is hurting in some way. Even though the degrees of hurt may differ, we all do, indeed, need healing. God Bless you and your ministry as well as your family.
Sincerely,
Allison W.
Pete,
I have no words, only the tears streaming down my face. Excellent post and a beautiful reminder.
Thank you!
I am new to your site, and I enjoyed your post. My husband and I are pastors as well, and I totally get the Sunday morning routine thing. It would be very difficult to take the time you did. I know the Lord will bless you for your obedience.
Your word spoke to my heart in regards to my 25 year old son. He is back home right now and we are working through a lot of stuff. Not fun. I continually have to remind myself that he needs healing, and so do we. I am contending for that healing, and trusting God to help us navigate through this time.
I have no other words to offer…except one.
Amen.
Pete,
Quite the challenging post. Thanks for the reminder that people matter.
Pete,
This is why you do what you do. You challenge us to get over ourselves and think about the lives that we are affecting every moment of every day. You challenge us to do what we are all called to do. You challenge us to love. It’s that simple. Just love people, no matter what. Thank you for that reminder.
Yes – you are right Pete – everyone does need healing. Great post. If we would all take the time to just listen to people…let them speak…pray with and for them…I think that we would all heal.
We all need just as much healing as the lady you speak, its just a matter of whether or not we recognize it.
My Prayer to God,
(Feb 11, 2011) Tonight Lord, I bring this prayer before your Holy Throne. I humble myself before your righteousness and state, I am a sinner saved by your grace. I don’t know how all of this is going to turn out, but I have put you first in my life from now on. I lay this prayer at your feet and put my total trust in you Father God. Through all this adversity, I know you are with me.
I am a born again believer, evangelical minister and retired U.S. Army Reserve Chaplain who was a back slider. I have repented of my sins and come back to the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms from a Military Combat Tour. I let the situation with anger management cause several issues throughout my life and within my marriage. I have taken full responsibility for my sins, my actions and in-action to seek counseling prior, by the “Veterans Administration” VA for this crisis. I have even taken full responsibility for my wife’s negative actions throughout our marriage of 13 plus years. Lord, you know, it’s my fault for not upholding my part as the Christian Husband, Father, Pastor, Chaplain and Man that you called me to be. I have been in VA Counseling since late Dec 2010. My wife of 13 plus years and children left me almost two months ago. One week before Christmas. It will be two months this upcoming Sunday, Feb 13, 2011. She filed for a divorce on Jan. 3, 2011. I don’t see any light at the end of this tunnel, except trusting in you O God. I don’t want to be divorced or separated from my family. Something you already know Father God.
My prayer to you is this; God have mercy on this sinner saved by your Grace in Christ Jesus. Look with favor on my humble request to save my marriage. Forgive me God if I have asked anything that is to prideful. Or shameful. Or sinful. I bow down to you in mercy O Lord. My prayer is, you look at me as a child of yours, who is broken by his sin and is now going through this painful situation, due to his actions. And rightly so. Forgive me for my reluctance to put you first and foremost in my life and in my marriage. I have no one to blame but myself. O God, I pray tonight that you keep watching over my family as we are separated. Bless my wife and Bless my 11 year old Daughter and my 10 year old Son. Give me your ear O God. Let me draw close to you.
I humble myself before you Father. My heart is still torn apart. But you already know this. Lord grant me your peace, and touch my heart through all of this mess that I have caused. Holy Spirit please comfort and guide me in this time of heartache that I have helped create. I pray in Jesus Holy Name that my prayer in some way, some how, some form, will be a sweet offering and blessing that will be fulfilled and honored by you, Heavenly Father. I don’t know how all this will turn out God. But you do. I am at a crossroads in my life. But you already know this as well. In all of this stress, I am being tested in this time of trial and tribulation. The devil has come at me from all angles, attacking me and using his deceitfulness to try and peel me away from you Father God. He has tried to stray me away with every argument and evil tactic. I ask for your Holy Angels to comfort me, protect me, minister to me and watch over me during this time of temptation. Heavenly Father, you know my heart and my soul. You know that myself and my wife are Christians but have not lived accordingly as you have called us to be throughout our marriage of almost 14 years. We have lived partly for you and the rest in sin and I repent of that in Jesus Name. I can only hope and trust that my prayer does not go void or on dull ears. I have faithfully sought you Father on my knees, knowing you and your loving presence are in the midst of all this. I am asking for your grace and a miracle to grant my request, that reconciliation, healing, transformation and love be restored for my marriage and my family. I am praying for my wife to start talking to me once again. It’s been almost 8 weeks since she stopped talking to me. I know that I have self inflicted most the causes that has drawn me to this point. I have taken responsibility for those “sins” and actions. I also recognize that you Lord, can intervene by stopping anything in this world, including the divorce, if it be your Holy Will. I pray that you Lord Jesus, will plant and surround witnesses for my wife to see, that her husbands words do speak love. Showing her, that my words are not just that anymore. That they are actions resulting in movement towards wholeness and hope in Christ Jesus. Show her by your holy means O God, that I am seeking help and support for my issue through the VA and most importantly, through you heavenly Father. Through all the emotional drama and turmoil I have created in my family, Father, help me show my loved ones that I am working through these issues and gaining coping skills to overcome them. Present to her heart by your Holy Ghost, Father God, that I have totally surrendered my life to Christ Jesus this time. Thus, putting all worldly ways behind me and walking in your Providence. Lord, I know this is a tall order. I wouldn’t blame you if you told me to just shut up, sit down and keep quiet. I have come together with fellow Christians as the bible speaks and agreed in prayer that this be honored and answered in accord with your righteousness.
Lord Jesus, I have fallen so many times throughout my 50 years of life. You have always been there to pick me up and put the pieces of the puzzle back together. I love and thank you for that.
I know what the bible says about the faith of a mustard seed in St. Matthew 17:20-21 stating,
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” NIV
I know what 1 John 5: 14-15 states,
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know he hears us–whatever we ask– we know that we have what we asked of him.” NIV
(If it be your Holy Will O God)
I also know what the bible says in St. Matthew 21:21-22 stating,
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” NIV
I hark-en your love to have mercy and release the affirmative concerning my humble prayer request.
As Psalm 37:4-6 states,
“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this. He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
I pray that I never look back O God. I don’t ever want to be hitting rock bottom again. I fully understand now, why it is important to serve and love you first. Father, have forgiveness on me for my doubt. For I have let the enemy cause conflict and negativity in my heart concerning this marital issue. Especially, during this time of my weakness. Let me be humble and say, I will accept your will, whatever the results. Please grant me peace in all of this. I know you hate divorce. I admit, if for whatever reason it does happen, I fully have taken responsibility for the cause of the divorce and it will be due to my sins. Please grant me O God, the faith to never cease following you and your will ever again in my life, no matter what the end result of this situation may be. Grant me your love in this life and never let me stop praising you ever again. Let me serve you always, putting you first in my life forever from this point forward. Out of my weakness through this despair and in all of this darkness, someway, I have managed to hold onto you.
I thank you God for your salvation in my life. I thank you Heavenly Father for the change you have started to implement in my life through this struggle with anger. I pray my wife through some means will see it taking place. I thank you God for the closeness of being reconnected back into your loving arms. I have let go and turned it all over to you Father. I am thankful for this. I thank you for instilling in me, to put my total trust in you, to cease every obstacle of sin that I have held onto in my walk. I thank you O God for helping me to release all of my sins, confessing them to you in Jesus Holy Name. For receiving your forgiveness and absolution. Thank you for the wisdom to continue in my journey of wholeness, through counseling and the support of those you have placed in my path. I thank you for giving me the ability to forgive myself first, so that I can forgive others. I thank you Lord, that I can love myself as my neighbor, once again. I thank you for your anointing in all of this process. I thank you Lord for my Wife. I thank you God for all of my children. I thank you for the time spent talking to them on the phone, knowing they miss and love their Daddy and sharing with them that I miss and love them to. I thank you for the spirit of humility. I thank you for the spirit of honesty once again in my life. I thank you for your protection and guidance. I thank you for the chance, once again, to be refined in your love. I thank you for the direction you have me headed on the straight path. I thank you for this separation, because without it, I honestly don’t know if I would have drawn near to you again. Thank you for your peace that lives within me concerning all of this. Even when I am down, sad and depressed, I can witness to others, you are here with me and among them as well. Thank you for giving me the boldness to witness on your behalf again and not being ashamed of you. Thank you for giving me shelter, when I could have been homeless. Thank you for the provision of food, when I could have went hungry. Thank you for reassuring my heart, it’s going to be O.K. Thank you for stopping my thoughts of taking an action that would have been unholy concerning my own life. Thank you for my brother for taking me in, who I love and ask you touch his heart to come back to you again. Thank you for opening my eyes to seeing my faults and sins. Thank you for helping me put my pride down once and for all. Thank you for helping me to just listen, instead of having all the answers. Thank you for giving me love in my heart once again. Thank you for helping me with coping skills to handle my anger management issues. Thank you for helping me to share love once again. Thank you for giving me strength to pray for those who have come against me. Thank you for giving me a prayer life once again. Thank you for giving me patience when things have not went accordingly the way I had wished. Thank you for the uncertain times. Thank you for the times of silence. Thank you for the times I have felt your presence and have heard your voice in my heart. Thank you Lord for the heart to forgive those, who have not forgave me. I pray for their hearts to be opened and see in me, through your love, you are changing me. Thank you for your forgiveness of my sins. Thank you for looking after my wife and children and taking care of all of their needs. Bless them O Lord. Bless my Family and my In-Laws. Watch over them in your love. Thank you for the many Christian Brother and Sisters in Christ you have surrounded me with. Thank you O God for giving me insight for things I have no control over in this life, or can fully understand at the present. I ask for your continued peace in my life, hone me into your likeness and reform the clay of this 50 year old for your purpose and will.
God, you know I love you. I am sorry and repent that I quit putting you first in my life all those years in this journey of my walk. I would ask you to heal mine and my wife’s heart. Let me be an instrument of your peace and a blessing for your kingdom’s purpose. Let me be the Christian Husband, Father, Pastor and Man you have raised me up for. Use me in some form of ministry, that proclaims your love and salvation. Let me never again put pride over you and your righteousness. Let me show you with your help, what your prodigal son in Christ can do on your behalf.
Lord have mercy on this prayer…..from a sinner, saved by your grace. A Husband who is separated from his wife and two children due to the stain of his sin. I pray for all those Combat Veterans and their families in similar or worse condition(s). May you heal their cause and hear their cries, before you ever entertain the thought, of answering my call for help. I pray for my father who is dying of stage 4 cancer. O Lord be with him during this time of suffering. I pray for him and his commitment that he has surrendered his life to you O Lord. I pray for members of my family and all those throughout the world that have not been saved, that by some means of your grace they will come to the Lord Jesus and accept Him into their lives as their Savior. Heavenly Father, may my request not be seen by you as selfish, but rather one, who blesses others through this humble penitent prayer.
Lord I am looking for my Jabez moment. A double portion and an extension of my boundary for your will, not mine. I am asking for your supernatural power to answer all my request, especially the part about my marriage to be brought back together in Christ Jesus. The Healer, Savior and King. I pray in His Almighty and Powerful Name, that the divorce will be stopped and reconciliation takes place showing the world, that God’s love is above all things. That faith is truly the unseen element of God that makes unbelievers become believers.
Even in my all brokenness, I dearly love you Father God and always will, because of what your son, my Savior Jesus Christ did for me at Calvary. He was nailed to a cross and died for my sins. Sins that were mine, not His. He rose on the third day so that I, and the rest who has accepted Him as their Lord and Savior, will have life eternal. Nothing can take the place of that. Not even the possibility of losing my wife and children to divorce. God, you have given me so many gracious opportunities over the years that I have squandered. Lord help me to reach out and press onward this time to take those opportunities, if you offer them. Let me humble myself for your Kingdom, to share those gifts by talking with boldness, about the resurrected one who creates miracles in peoples lives. That’s the hope I have, because I know you still love this man who is crying out through this prayer request, who has walked with you and beside you for many years. Lots of times, I even tried to walk away from you, but you were always near, even when I did not want nothing to do with you. I have felt your Holy Presence among my life as far back as a little boy in First Grade. Use me O God from here on in, no matter what happens, I have you with me. I look at all my past sin and acknowledge, I don’t deserve nothing, but more anguish and pain in my life. Especially, one who knew the difference of your way verses the evil ones way. I ask you, look upon this with your mercy. Show my family favor if it’s truly your will by granting my request for reconciliation. I don’t have to tell you Heavenly Father, you know that I love my wife and my two children very much. O God no matter what direction my prayer takes, if given this chance or not given this chance, I will show you from now on, what you truly mean in my life. I promise I will lift you and your Holy Name up always and forever and serve you first in my life for the rest of the time you have given me on this earth. I make this solemn oath to you. I will never cease applying you in mine and my families life from hence on if you bring us back together. I guess that’s just about the jest of it all God.
Lord, have mercy on me and my family. I know that line must be getting old, but I have no other response. In all of these tears I have shed the past two months, I know you have stored them up. As well, with my wife’s tears to. In all of my past and sinful nature, I know you are real O God, because you have picked me up and saved me from eternal damnation. The trail that I was headed down. So in all of this, I will bow down before you, giving thanks and praise to your Holy and Just Name forever. I am prepared to accept whatever you decide in my life and in this situation concerning my marriage, family and future. If it’s not my way, I will be truthful with you, it will probably crush my heart, but I know you will be there to pick me up and assemble me back together as you always have. O God if you see fit in the scheme of your Holy Will, I pray, you take mercy on my prayer, like no other prayer I have ever asked of you before. I really haven’t asked you a lot in my life, so with that said, I will leave it all in your hands.
In closing, Heavenly Father, there are so many people hurting and worse off in this world than my mere situation. I feel I should be praying for them instead of my biased concerns. At times, I feel ashamed that I have kept crying out to you to intercede in my marriage, but I know you hear me.
I have went about as far as I can go with this Father God.
I claim this prayer in Christ Jesus Name and say, it is finished! AMEN
In Christ+
Kevin
Evereybody….