Time to Heal

And now don't be worried or angry with yourselves for selling me here, because God sent me ahead of you to preserve life. - Genesis 45:5

This life is full of difficulties and tragedies. Sometimes the aftereffects of these events can be just as damaging and catastrophic as the events themselves. The process of healing may take months and sometimes years to complete. So, how can you know for yourself (or perhaps for another) when the healing has begun?

The first indication that we are given in Scripture of Joseph's recovery from the abuses of his past are seen in his simple words above. Though the actual healing probably occurred before this moment, Joseph, at some point, realized that God Himself was responsible for his circumstances. It seems to me that this is a clear indication of a healthy recovery.

While I do not know the circumstances of your life, the depth of your difficulty, I do know that the Sovereign God is also the Lord of our circumstances. Perhaps, the best evidence of a healthy healing process is when we begin to see and comprehend this truth.

We just should not be surprised if it takes a little (or what seems like a lot of) time.

Life is a tragedy full of joy. - Bernard Malamud