I am not a nurse. I will never be a nurse. I do, however, have minimal medical experience from various missions trips and from working with children and the elderly. I have learned quite a bit from various jobs on how to care for certain types of impairments.

Not long ago, I was working with an elderly lady who had been in a terrible car accident. She had a significant break in her leg and was unable to walk without assistance. She had a wound care specialist that would come twice a week to provide care. One of the most astounding things this specialist said was very simple. She uncovered the wound after it had been bandaged up for months and reminded the patient that it actually needed to be exposed in order to properly heal. Keeping it under wraps and in the dark would only increase the risk for infection and further complications.

It is often the exposure that initiates the road to recovery. It is a “ripping off the bandaid,” if you will. When this happens, both physically and emotionally, the healing process can begin.
I used to think that hiding all my pain and problems is what helped. Staying guarded and only showing the really pretty and put together parts had everyone around me convinced I was okay. I even convinced myself of that. The truth is, the painful parts had to be uncovered not only for me to recognize them, but also for me to heal through them. Covering them up and pretending like they did not exist only made them worse over time.
I had lived my life for so long thinking that brokenness was negative and should be hidden, but in reality, weakness is not only where God is strong, but it is also where we recognize the places that need the most work. Keeping a bandaid on an injury inhibits the change that needs to happen for there to be a positive change.

I know it feels safer to hide the hurts and struggles. I know it makes more sense for you to wrap some gauze around your heart or keep your issues buried under a cast. If I could remind you of one thing, my hurting friend, it would be that your wounds cannot be healed if they remain hidden.

There is a timing to it all. Fresh and bleeding wounds will always need time to begin recovering under proper care, but once that time is over, keeping a bandaid on it will only prolong the process. Many people, including myself, have placed bandage after bandage over wounds only for them to grow and be manifested into something worse later.

I don’t know all the reasons Jesus allows us to walk through suffering seasons, I do know that in spite of any pain or trial, He is so near to our brokenness. You don’t have to limp away in shame. You don’t have to fake fine anymore. He welcomes you in your frailty and sits with you as you slowly uncover the hurting places.

I know it seems like letting your guard down and exposing those broken parts will never help, but the truth is, that is the first step to freedom. I promise you, you are not alone.

Healing begins when we stop trying to pretend like everything is okay and realize we are all humans and sometimes humans hurt. We have to be willing to be open about those hurt places to recuperate. Stop putting bandaids on the things you are too afraid to address. Your life will be so much better when you stop hiding and you let yourself be healed. Your scars will tell a story that will help others on their journey, but you have to be willing to expose some of your wounds when the timing is right.

“Come out of hiding, you’re safe here with Me.”

Rachel Skirvin is a lover of travel, nachos, and the gospel. She is a graduate of Urshan College and will most likely always call it Gateway. She is pursuing her master’s degree in counseling and human services and is currently serving at The Pentecostals of Cooper City in South Florida.