Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV)

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Devotional: Breaking the Chains of Time

We often hear the phrase “time heals all wounds,” promising that with enough time, pain will fade. However, as we reflect on the writing below, the reality of heartache is much more complex. Time alone can feel endless and lonely, amplifying the echoes of our struggles rather than soothing them.

Psalm 34:18 reminds us of a deeper truth: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” This scripture acknowledges that while time may play a role in healing, it is the presence of God that truly mends our deepest wounds. The reality is that oftentimes, the very pain we are experiencing can feel like a heavy burden, trapping us in cycles of grief and despair, leaving us to wonder if we can ever break free.

In the vivid imagery of echoes in a great canyon, we see how the pain we carry can resound in our minds, relentless and overpowering. But we are not meant to suffer in the echoes in our minds. God doesn’t simply ask us to endure; He invites us to bring our heartaches to Him. The cries we share in prayer are heard, and each tear is recognized. We learn that healing through God’s grace is not merely about waiting for time to pass but about actively engaging with Him, surrendering our battles, and allowing His love to embrace us.

When the darkness of night surrounds us and those haunting memories emerge, it’s then that we can lean into God’s promises. He is our refuge in times of trouble, and His strength can transform our suffering into testimonies of hope. In our darkest moments, when it feels as if we’re shouting into a void, we can trust that God’s silence is not absence but an invitation to draw near, to encounter His love in fresh and profound ways.

So, what do we do “in the meantime”? We turn towards God, whose light can pierce through the darkness. We lay our burdens down, we seek support in our community, and we remind ourselves that healing is not linear or simply time-based; it is unique to each of us. Every emotion we experience is valid, and God meets us in every moment, both joyful and painful.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, I come before You with my wounds laid bare, seeking Your healing touch in the depths of my anguish. Help me to remember that I am never alone in my pain and that You are close to the brokenhearted. Grant me the courage to bring my struggles to You, for only in Your love can true healing occur. Strengthen me to navigate this journey, trusting in Your grace and presence every step of the way.

Closing Thought

As you move through today, remember that God invites you into a relationship of healing—one that transcends the limitations of time. Lean on Him, and let His love provide the solace your heart seeks. Remember, it’s not just about giving it time; it’s about entrusting yourself to the One who holds eternity in His hands.

A Writing

They say that time
Is all it takes

Time will heal
…Every mistake
…Every loss
…Every wound
…Every wrong-doing
…Every abuse
…Every tragedy
…Every pain

Time heals all
That’s what they say

Just give it more time
Eventually I’ll be fine
I’ll see, just trust
The pain will go away
It won’t hurt so much tomorrow
Eventually I’ll forget
I won’t feel so bad
Just give it time
Just give it
Just
More time
Time

Echoing in my brain
The words are bouncing
Off the walls
Off the walls of an echo chamber
The echo chamber between my ears
Time
Time
Time
TIME
TIME
TIME

And finally I scream
I don’t want to hear it any more
Falling to my knees
Wrapped up like a ball of string
Wrapping my arms tightly
Tightly around my stomach
My head between my knees
And I cry deeply
I bawl out in anguish
Until silently I cry
So much I cry
Until the tears
Until the tears are dry
In anguish
I cry
Alone I cry
All alone I cry
And wonder why
I wonder why
Why this works for everyone else
But not for me
Why not for me?

“What’s wrong with me?”
“Oh God, what’s wrong with me?”
“Why am I the only one?”
“Why doesn’t Time heal me?”

I dare not tell anyone
I can’t talk to anyone
They would think I am crazy
Crazy in the head
I’m broken
I can’t be fixed
I deserve what I get

And so…at night
I weep
In my pillow I weep

Night
After
Night
After
Night
The cycle repeats itself endlessly

And one day
One day
I read a book
And I decide
Sure I can beat this thing

All I have to do is one simple thing
Just follow one simple rule
It’s simple
I just have to follow one simple rule
I just have to fake it
That’s it
I just have to fake it
Fake it until I make it
Fake it until I
Fake it until
Fake it
Until I Make It

I just have to give it more time
And…Everything…Will…Be…Ok

But until then
What do I do?
Until then…what?
What do I do…in the mean…time?

In the night
In the middle of the night
In the night the voices call
They call out my name
Bringing me back
Back again
Back to the nightmare
To the nightmare of my pain
To when it happened
To the place it happened
To hear the sounds
To smell the stench
To see the tragedy
To the place where it all began
I try to silence them
Silence them any way I can
But I can’t dodge the truth
Because truth won’t run
The truth won’t run, like I do
Truth stands steady
Like the immovable object
Truth won’t budge

And in the morning I tell myself it’ll be okay
And that I’m gonna get better on another day

Finally
Finally it’s morning
I slam the alarm
I cover my head
Beating my pillow
I wish I were dead

And then I awake
I finally awake
I wake to realize
Nothing has changed
Nothing
Not a thing
No it’s all the same
I’m living another groundhog day

And all of this
All of this journey
Is the endless cycle
So craftily spun
So craftily spun by the Evil One
To keep me from God’s Love and Grace
To keep me from seeing His Holy Face
To keep me locked in my own prison cell
To keep me from drinking water from the well
From the well of Everlasting refreshment
From the well of Everlasting healing

Down deep I know it’s a lie
Because I know
If time were the only thing
Then I’d be getting better
With the passing of every day

But here’s the honest to God truth
Yes, it will take time
But I already knew that
I already knew it would take time
But time isn’t all it takes
There’s one more thing I don’t want to do
And I know that too
Because it’s going to be hard
I know that too
It’s going to be hard

I must dig
I must dig a little deeper
I must dig into the scars
I must dig a little deeper
To cut through the scar tissue
To cut through the scar tissue that has me fooled
To cut through the scar to get to the original pain
To open up that wound
To open the wound I don’t want to open
I gotta dig deeper
I gotta dig a little deeper
To open the wound
So it can drain
So it can drain the toxins that are keeping me down
So it can drain the toxins and heal again

Yes, it’s scary
It’s downright frightening if I think I’m all alone
If I think I have no one there to help me
Yes, it’s scary as hell
But it doesn’t have to be

But it’s necessary to dig a little deeper
And it’s going to hurt like hell

And for this to work I can’t numb this pain
I can’t tip the bottle dry
I can’t swallow that pill
I can’t inhale that drag
And I can’t snort that line

No no…
It’s going to hurt like hell
But that’s what it takes
So I can feel again
So I can laugh again
So I can cry real tears again
So I can feel real pain again
So I can experience real joy again
So I can live again
So I can love again

And so that I can be loved by those around me

But here’s the thing…
I don’t have to do this alone…
If all I will do is tell someone

Copyright © 2020 by SkylerThomas