Reminders...

Pain is the feeling we get when we have a wound. It is a notification or reminder that something out of the normal is occurring. In our physical wounds, we can easily identify the area that has been wounded. It's not always that easy in our emotional wounds. That is because we can walk around for years not recognizing that we are wounded. It sometimes takes something happening to remind us of our wounds. These reminders can come in the form of a situation similar to our previous situation. The reminder can also come in the form of perceiving that someone else has the success that we think we want. I've also found reminders in discussions with friends or loved ones, as they are going through a situation similar to mine. Regardless of how the reminders come to us, they remind us of pain we've experienced. If that numbing feeling comes to us as if we were just hurt, that's our wound. That is also an indication that we are still hurting from that experience and need to be healed. Whenever I experience this, I immediately ask God to help me to heal. I ask Him to uncover every negative thought and feeling that is associated with that hurt. I open myself up to receiving forgiveness--for the person who hurt me and also for myself.