Christians get confused when they feel depressed, offended, rejected, or have other negative feelings. “Why am I experiencing this after I accepted Jesus into my heart by faith?” In truth, the answer is both simple and yet, challenging. Your spirit is 100% regenerated upon believing in Christ and His cross. But, something more is often needed, the healing of soul wounds.

Types of Spiritual Wounds

What exactly are soul wounds and how do they affect us?

The answer is this: We have experiences all through our lives. Sometimes, the actions of others hurt us.  And, we too, do things that are wrong. Our own sins can leave wounds in us. Additionally, there may be recurring, damaging behaviors from our families. Alcoholism is an example. Those generational behaviors cause pain. Cumulatively, each of these things can leave a mark behind or a measure of damage in your soul.

What is the Soul?

So, what is the soul? It is your mind, will and emotions, the source of your thoughts, decisions, and feelings. As mentioned, when you experience or participate in negative things in your life, imprints are left on your soul. For example, if a parent left home while you were growing up – in divorce, abandonment, or death, the pain you experienced as a child may remain in your mind as a “wound.”

As a result, when people seem to be leaving or not accepting you in some way in the present, your reaction to them may actually be an overreaction born out of retained pain. Having been “rejected” before, it can seem reasonable, even self-protective to not trust and be suspicious now. However, the current situation may not truly be abandonment or rejection, but the wound in you causes it to be perceived as such.

Imagine having been tremendously put down as a child, always made to feel inferior and lacking. As an adult, carrying this wound of criticism makes thinking well of yourself difficult. Compliments or praise can be hard to accept. Additionally, celebrating others’ successes is a struggle. “Everyone is doing better than I am” thoughts may eat away at peace – and not be true.

All of these (and more) are wounded ways of thinking that destroy quality of life. Relationships are affected. You don’t feel safe making intimacy difficult as the world is viewed through wound “lenses.”

Soul Wounds Affect Your Relationship with God

Most of all, because of soul wounds, your relationship with God and capacity to really flourish as a Christian person are diminished. Being preoccupied with wounds keeps you inwardly focused in repetitive, turbulent, negative thinking. Rather than fully encountering God and receiving all the blessing He has for you, you remain caught up in your ongoing pain and misconceptions.

But, do not worry.

All of us go through this to some degree. God so wants for you to be healed once and for all. Truly, He wants you healed in spirit, soul, and body.

How to Receive the Healing of Soul Wounds

Now, if any of this is sounding familiar to you; if you have times of repeatedly feeling blue, offended, lonely, or “different from everyone else,” it may be that some inner healing is needed.

Where do you start?

At times, we’re embarrassed as Christians if we appear not to have it all together. For example, you may say, “I don’t want to admit that I am jealous often.” Or, that, “I feel lonely and like I don’t fit in.” We often think Christianity is a “stiff upper lip” lifestyle where you must appear that you have it altogether even if you’re “dying” inside. This is nonsense. On the contrary, healing and maturing are part of this life like no other. Jesus can heal all things.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

You do not have to tolerate feeling emotionally out of sorts again and again. Besides, the enemy loves this “doorway.” When you are struggling with thoughts and emotions, he will throw “fuel on the fire” with whispered lies, exaggerating those moods, and then bringing shame because of them.

Seeking Help for Healing

Do you need to seek someone else’s help to heal your soul wounds? Can you fix this on your own?

It may be helpful to share your struggle with a trusted, mature Christian friend, with a counselor, or a pastor. They can pray and meet with you until you feel improvement.

How can their prayers be phrased in order to be helpful?

They can command the jealousy, loneliness, or offense to be gone in Jesus’ name. Prayer may include asking Jesus to show you how He was present in situations in the past. These helpers can also pray for the opposite feelings (feelings of positivity to flood your mind and replace the wounded feelings.) And, Holy Spirit can be asked to come and restore those painful places.

You may need to be led in prayers of repentance – if you need to forgive someone, forgive yourself, trust God or seek Him more. Perhaps your spiritual life has lapsed.

In this way, the wounded places will be identified. You will be delivered from them. And, by the power and healing of the Holy Spirit your life will be renewed.

It is not always necessary for others to be involved. In fact, if you identify a weak place in your thinking and feelings – a recurring way of looking at the world or reacting to people that seems to be unhealthy, you can also pray by yourself for your healing. You can command the wounded feelings to go in Jesus’ name.

Then, pray for healthy and God-oriented feelings to replace the wounds.

Healing of Soul Wounds Scriptures

Finally, one of the most important things to do is to pray and declare scriptures full of truth over yourself In this way, you push drive out the negative and distorted thoughts and moods.

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 John 2 NKJV

The passage above is so fundamental. God wants you to feel safe and whole in your mind and emotions. He wants you to be able to concentrate and to live with joy, not constant preoccupation and heaviness. God wants your soul to prosper.

Here are some other scriptures about our souls and God’s desire to give us minds free of fear, depression, and dark thoughts.

Scriptures to Pray and Declare

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. Whoever fears is not perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18 NIV

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 NIV

“For I [satiate] the weary soul, and I [replenish] every sorrowful soul.” Jeremiah 31:25 NKJV

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Psalm 23:1-3 ESV

“The Lord … gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.” Psalm 147:2-3 NKJV

Finally, there are so many more verses like this to grab hold of and take as the truth of God’s desire for you. Brooding, being moody, being fearful, feeling small and unwanted, etc. – those things are not of God. In God’s transformation of you, He includes the healing of soul wounds.

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** By Pamela Morrison / Photo by Jessica Lewis at Pexels