“That thing is just held together by bubble gum and bobby pins!” We’ve all heard this, or some similar statement, whether it’s duct tape and chicken wire, band aids and string, or some other strange combination. And sometimes it seems like our lives are the same way- barely being held together by some very questionable means.

When we go through life and never address our issues, our lives begin to unravel. We might hold things together with “bubble gum and bobby pins” for a while, but eventually things come apart. And so many people don’t even realize the real reason their lives seem to be falling to pieces.

Throughout our lives, we’ve all been hurt, betrayed, and wounded. Many people try to put a band aid on the injury to stop the bleeding and then never go back to make sure it healed properly. We tend to bury things and try to avoid dealing with the raw emotion that the memory of it brings. And while we may go for a while and feel fine, after a while, the buried issues begin to rise to the surface. Unresolved pain always returns in some way.

We may not realize that our emotional outbursts, our anger, our frustration, or our other unexplained reactions stem from things from the past that we have not dealt with. Our inability to maintain certain relationships may be due to past hurts that have not been addressed. God may be knocking on the door of your heart, telling you it is time to face what happened to you. He may be attempting to bring you face-to-face with the pain of the past so you can finally get over it.

Will it hurt to revisit the injuries and wounds of past days? Of course it will. It will not be easy, but God will walk you through it and be with you as you hurt, then heal. It may be painful, but it will only get worse if it is not addressed.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:3 (New International Version, NIV)

The only way to experience freedom is to walk right through the pain. When you get to the other side, you will find healing and restoration for your hurting heart. Be courageous and ask God to show you any areas in your life where you may have buried hurts or issues He wants you face. He will show it to you, and He will be there to help you heal and reach the wholeness you need.