Wound Care 101

Flip-flops are the perfect fun footwear — that is until you whack your toes on a hard, immovable object. Yes, leave it to me to find another way to injure myself. Don’t ask me how it happened. I’m not really sure. I wasn’t even walking fast. In fact, I was just taking a few steps across my office when my bare foot, clad only in one of my fave Old Navy flip-flops, met its match with the sharp metal bottom of the dehumidifier. The same dehumidifier, I might add, that’s been in the same spot for years. Go figure.

When the groans subsided from the initial blast of pain, I bent down to survey the damage. Two toes had been hit, and one was bleeding. Nothing major, but it wasn’t going to stop on its own. This was a job for Band-Aids. And since the toe was scraped at top and bottom both, it would take two of the sticky cure-alls to do the trick. I found out right away that binding up a toe when it’s hurting and surrounded by toes on either side (and one of those also whacked) is no easy job.

Today? A little swelling and bruising and just enough tenderness to make me ever conscious of keeping my foot well away from another object. If I had been just half as protective of my foot yesterday, I wouldn’t be groaning at the prospect of wearing shoes today. It was just one of those things I didn’t expect, though. I never saw it coming.

Sometimes life has a way of whacking us too, doesn’t it? Out of the blue and in the blink of an eye, we are thrust into situations that leave us reeling from pain and gasping for emotional air. Someone we love, someone we trust, levels some words at us that cut us to the core. Or we get that dreaded phone call that forever changes our lives as we know them. Or we find out we’re no longer needed… at our job, in our marriage, by a friend.

As we survey the damage, we see that we are bleeding. But this time, it’s from the heart. And the pain is too deep to tend to it ourselves. We need our Savior’s help, His comfort. We need His healing touch.

If you are hurting today, I encourage you to call on the Great Physician. He will tend to your wound. He will pay attention to it. He will guard and protect it. Remember, He stands ready to help. Nothing catches Him by surprise.

“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3 KJV

*Flickr photo by _rockinfree

Comments

  1. “bleeding…this time from the heart.”

    That is the penchant of my heart this day, Cheryl. Thanks for visiting my blog and for writing these tender words of care over my soul today.

    I’ve experienced a blow to some dreams, and while the outside looks pretty, the insides are in a jumbled mess. Thankfully, I’ve walked this road before and know exactly where to turn.

    May God’s peace and blessing be your portion this day. I’m so glad that you stopped by for a visit.

    ~elaine

  2. Elaine, what a blessing to hear that my words ministered to you today. It has been my prayer that this particular post would minister to a hurting heart. May God continue to bind up your wound with His tender care! (Thanks for coming by — hope you’ll stop in again!)

  3. This is a beautiful post, and so true! The heart kind of wounds take much longer to heal. But when we don’t let the healer tend to them in the right way, they will become infected, and eventually spill over with bitterness and unforgiveness. The Great Physician knows how to tend the wound so that it will heal properly.

  4. This is beautiful Cheryl – so glad that God saw fit to cross our paths!

    And you’ll love paying regular visits to Elaine’s blog – she’s one of my most treasured bloggies!

    Love to you this day,
    Melinda

  5. Renae & Melinda, thanks for your kind words. And Renae, I am so thankful our Great Physician enables our heart wounds to heal properly. Where would we be without Him?

    Melinda, I’m still amazed at how God connected us yesterday. Definitely more than coincidence!

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