The Healing Process is Painful

Let’s talk about something real: The healing process hurts.

When we talk about God as our Healer, we love the idea of instant relief. But the truth is, healing — real healing — is often painful. Whether you’re recovering from heartbreak, grief, disappointment, or deep soul wounds, healing is a process. And sometimes, the process stings more than the original injury.

But here's the good news: God doesn’t just slap a bandage over a broken heart and tell us to move on. He sits with us, binds our wounds, and walks us through the pain toward restoration.

Psalm 147:3 (NLT) — “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”

So today, we’re walking through what it looks like to heal with God, even when it hurts.

Healing is all about being honest. We’ve all got wounds, and sometimes we try to ignore them, cover them up, or pretend we’re fine. But healing starts with honesty. So, let’s talk about facing the pain, not faking the peace.

Honesty comes with acknowledging the pain because you can’t heal what you don’t acknowledge. Pain that is ignored is just prolonged. Jesus wants us to be honest with ourselves and with Him so that we can walk through the healing He has for us.

Is there something you are pretending doesn’t exist?

Start a journal and write out the hurt, and then write out a prayer asking God to help you learn to heal.

Healing requires surrender — which feels like losing control, especially if you’ve been in survival mode. Sometimes, it feels worse before it feels better — like cleaning a deep wound.

We have all had cuts that needed to be cleaned… we didn’t like it, and it didn’t feel good, but it was necessary to start the process of healing.

Oftentimes, we don’t start the healing process because we are scared of what might come up… we may not want to relive things and feelings, but we have got to have the courage to start. If you are looking to start, pray this simple prayer — Lord, help me and give me the courage to face the hurt and give me the grace and strength to keep walking through.

When we think about the healing process, we don’t look at the fact that grief and growth coexist.

Just because you’re healing doesn’t mean you stop missing what was lost. We don’t forget what we lost; we just learn better how to carry it.

Losing my dad was hard, and the grief process was hard, but the healing was a necessary process for me to grow.

You can cry and grow all at the same time. Also, remember that there is no time limit on your process. God is right there doing the heart work needed, and He is in no hurry.

This is a kind of heavy conversation, and it’s time to go deeper. That is because God isn’t interested in surface healing. He doesn’t want to just make you functional — He wants to make you whole. That kind of restoration? It takes time, and yes — it can hurt. But the result is worth it.

Psalm 147:3 (NLT) — “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”

Culture tells us to “move on” — but God invites us to move through.

Have you tried to patch something that needs full healing?

Ask God to show you where you’ve settled for surface-level healing.

God is our great physician and just the surgeon we need when it comes to healing from pain and heartache.

Keep in mind that God isn’t cruel — He’s careful. And that healing may reopen wounds temporarily, but it’s always for a better purpose.

When I was about 9 years old, I fell 10 feet out of a tree and fractured my wrist while on a family camping trip… we had to drive about 45 minutes to the nearest ER. No surgery was needed, but they did have to set my wrist back into place… all of which was painful. Once we got back home after camping, that’s when we went to the doctor and I got a cast put on.

The levels of pain here are deep… that camping trip was no longer fun; I couldn’t do anything, and then wearing a cast on my dominant hand for 6 weeks was hard… BUT the healing process through it all was still happening.

Pain is prevalent, but the healing process is happening even if we don’t know it or if it doesn’t make sense. Trust the process, and trust God to help you through it.

Though it may not seem like it, there is purpose in the pain we endure. I know we don’t see it that way in the midst of the pain because we are just trying to make it through to the other side. But the thing about healing is that your healing can help others.

God can use your healed wounds as a way to use your story to reach other hurting and healing people. Pain shared can become a pain that is transformed.

What part of your story do you think might help someone else feel less alone?

God can use every part of our story to reach others.

Now we’re looking forward — toward wholeness. Healing may be painful, but it is possible. And once you walk through the process, you don’t just feel better — you become new.

Psalm 147:3 (NLT) — “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.”

On the other side of healing, you see more clearly — about yourself, about others, about God.

When we speak of the healing that God does in our lives, we often say, “I’m not who I was.” … This is so true. Healing changes us, and you may never be who you were before… you’ll be someone stronger.

Sometimes, as we think back, even after significant healing, there might be times when the pain or the memory of the pain isn’t completely gone — but there has still been healing, and we can speak to that.

When thinking back, sit in awe of the changes the Lord has made. Take time to recognize and celebrate the growth from the pain and the healing that God walked you through.

We talked about how healing hurts. But you’re not broken beyond repair. And even in the pain, God is working. He’s not afraid of your wounds. He knows exactly how to handle them — gently, intentionally, and completely. So, if you’re in the middle of it, hang on. Let yourself grieve. Let yourself rest. Let yourself trust.

Healing is hard. But it’s holy. And you don’t walk through it alone.