Joyce Meyer - Healing the Soul of a Woman Devotional

Copyright 2019 by Joyce Meyer

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ISBNs: 978-1-5460-3906-8 (hardcover), 978-1-5460-3851-1 (leather binding), 978-1-5460-3908-2 (ebook)

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When our arm is cut and bleeding, we can easily see that something is wrong and know what to do to take care of it. But when our soul is wounded, it is not uncommon for us not to know what the problem is or what to do to make it better. We may not even be aware there is a problem. Our inner lifeour thoughts, emotions, attitudes, and willful choicesare all part of the soul, and when we have been wounded deeply through abuse of any kind, abandonment, rejection, bullying, and other negative experiences, our soul needs to be healed.

A girl whose parents have abused her will more than likely have fears, insecurities, anxiety, depression, or some other types of dysfunctional behavior. I was raised in an abusive, dysfunctional home and I had many problems in my soul because of it, but I was unaware of them. I behaved in the only way I knew to behave, not realizing that my behavior was colored by the abuse I had endured.

Relationships in particular were difficult for me, especially any kind of intimate relationship, because when anyone got very close to me they started realizing I had problems. When they tried to confront me about them, I became angry and sincerely thought they were the problem, not me.

I was very unhappy for a long time. Through receiving Jesus as my Savior, I finallyafter many years of misery before and after becoming a Christianbegan seeking Him for answers to my problems. As I write this devotional, it has been more than forty years since I asked God to heal my wounds. I pray that through this book I will be able to share some things that will help you in your own journey toward the healing of your soul. At the end of each devotional reading, I have provided a short statement that begins with the words Declare this. I hope you will take these declarations seriously because there is something very powerful that happens on the healing journey when you make commitments like the ones in this book and speak them out loud.

A healthy, well-functioning soul is available for every person, but those who have been wounded will need to be patient and steadfast as the Holy Spirit leads them through their own personal journey of healing. If you are one of the wounded, there are many things you will need to learn, so lets get started and get moving toward wholeness. Lets begin with a prayer:

Father, in Jesus name, I ask You to heal my wounded soul. I want to be and do all that You want for me. I have a great deal to learn and I ask You to teach me and help me face truth in every area in which my thinking is wrong. I commit my life entirely to You and choose to open my heart to You in every area of my past. Help me and strengthen me through the power of the Holy Spirit, and empower me to have a Spirit-filled personality. Amen!

May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the inner man by the [Holy] Spirit [Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality].

Ephesians 3:16 AMPC

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

Those who are brokenhearted are broken in their personality. They are unable to function properly because of their wounds. They have been deeply hurt and are unable to move beyond their past pain.

It is important that we dont merely park at the point of our pain and remain there for the rest of our lives. God is the author of new beginnings, and whether we are wounded due our own sin, or because of the sin of others who have harmed us, we are the only ones who can decide whether to move on or stay parked. Take your life out of park and start moving forward toward the great future God has arranged for you.

The apostle Paul is a great example of someone who kept shaking off the past and pressing forward. He moved past his own sin, past the persecution he received from others as his reward for simply trying to help them, past unfair imprisonment, beatings, abandonment, and many other painful things. He also moved past his own imperfections in his daily walk with God and said that letting go of what was behind was his determined purpose in life.

When we are hurting, moving forward isnt always easy because our mind and emotions are telling us to just give up. Although change isnt easy and is often painful, we have only two choicesto endure the pain of change or to endure the pain of never changing. It is easy to see which choice makes the most sense. If there will be pain either way, why not choose the pain of progress?

To keep going forward in the midst of personal pain takes a lot of courage. You may not even want to get out of bed in the morning, let alone be active and do what life requires that day, but if you live by wise choices rather than by your feelings, you can do it.

I vividly remember my father repeatedly telling me, You will never amount to anything, but with Gods help, I overcame his negative words. If those who should have affirmed you tore you down with their words, you too can overcome their words by seeing what God says about you and meditating on His words instead. God says many wonderful things about you, things such as: You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps. 139:14). You are loved unconditionally (Jer. 31:3) and accepted (John 6:37). You are precious and honored in His sight (Isa. 43:4). His Word includes many similar truths that will build you up and renew your mind so you can think about yourself and your life the way God wants you to.