One of the not-so-nice elements of accumulated birthdays is skin that easily bruises. All it takes is a tiny tap of a cabinet corner or some other hard surface for a bruise to immediately appear. Sometimes, I don’t even know what I’ve brushed against to produce an unsightly subdermal rupture, but there it is, blooming big and ugly under the skin.
Bruising doesn’t just happen outwardly. Sometimes, wounding is inward, crushing our spirits and damaging self-esteem. Have you been bruised emotionally?
Following are thoughts on those who are easily bruised:
Have you ever heard someone referred to as a person who wears their feelings on their sleeve? It’s almost as if these people are searching for ways to be offended. Conversely, there are those who allow slights or criticism to roll off their shoulders, reject hurtful words, and move ahead undeterred.
We’ve all been wounded by hurtful words, or actions, whether thoughtless or intended. Other times, emotional bruising is the result of a life event or trauma. Either way, moving beyond emotional wounds requires intentionality.
Avoid Ruminating on the Injury
Those who are easily bruised emotionally sometimes magnify hurt by ruminating on the offense. Let’s be honest, emotional bruises are painful, even debilitating, at times. But avoid falling into a pattern of feeling sorry for yourself or repeatedly replaying hurtful words or deeds. Painful reruns are like sticky stuff on the bottom of a shoe, slowing forward motion and keeping you mired in pain. The only way to move ahead is to avoid magnifying the situation. Acknowledge what happened, and your hurt, and then work toward healing.
Allow Healing to Happen
Have you ever lifted the corner of a scab to assess healing and then messed up by pulling too far? It’s just so tempting. Surely the wound has healed by now. But invariably, it’s too soon, and you’ve thwarted the healing process.
It is the same with emotional healing. Resist the urge to pick the scab. Allow healing to progress in its time, no matter how slowly it is in coming.
Ask God to Refresh Forward Motion
Often, the only way to reignite forward motion is to hit refresh, thus rebooting a stalled life season. Recovering from emotional bruises is a process, the hardest element of which is forgiveness. Forgiving those who have bruised us is challenging, because we want them to hurt as much as, or more than, they’ve hurt us. But failing to forgive holds you captive.
Ask God to heal your bruises, free you from the captivity of unforgiveness, and help you move forward with a refreshed spirit and a new outlook on life.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18 KJV).
©CandyArrington
Candy Arrington is an award-winning writer, blogger, and speaker. She often writes on tough topics with a focus on moving through, and beyond, difficult life circumstances. Candy has written hundreds of articles, stories, and devotions published by numerous outlets including: Inspiration.org, Arisedaily.com, CBN.com, Healthgrades.com, Care.com, Focus on the Family, NextAvenue.org, CountryLiving.com, and Writer’s Digest. Candy’s books include Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well (Bold Vision Books), When Your Aging Parent Needs Care (Harvest House), and AFTERSHOCK: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B&H Publishing Group).
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