A referred pain is when we feel discomfort in one area, but the real problem or actual cause is somewhere else. A sore shoulder might be cause by a neck injury or even a sign of a heart condition. When we focus on treating the wrong spot, the real issue goes unchecked.
We do the same spiritually. We fix our attention on surface-level struggles – stress, anger, anxiety – without addressing the deeper wounds causing them. Our frustration may not be work related, it may be rooted in unresolved bitterness. Our exhaustion may not have stemmed from too much work and / or lack of rest, but from striving for and failing to get man’s approval.
Psalm 139:23-24 says, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Instead of trying to diagnose ourselves, let God examine us. He sees beyond symptoms to the real source of our struggles. When we try to look for the root cause of the problem, we may be biased and refused to acknowledge a problem. God helps us to see clearly.
When we bring out pain to God, he reveals the hidden wounds and begins the healing process. Trust him to recall and fix what is truly broken. Do not settle for treating symptoms – let the Great Physician heal you at the root.
Leave a Reply