What experiences in your life have caused you the deepest pain and anguish?

I have good news for you. The place of your wounds are where God can show His greatest power and love through you.

There are, unfortunately, all too many examples of people who have been wounded who then live out of fear, control, or bitterness. Some start to blame anyone and everything that reminds them of how they were wounded – that’s how the enemy wants to use our wounds. But God has another plan: He will take the very place of your wounding, lead you to forgiveness, fill it with His power, and make something supernatural happen. If you let Him, He’ll take your wounds and make you great.

Joseph in the Bible, was wounded. Imagine being betrayed by family, sold into slavery, falsely accused and unjustly imprisoned by poor leaders. From this place of wounding, we see a man of God emerge who modeled great leadership and supernatural loyalty to his family. He said, “What you meant for harm, God intended for good.” 

Joseph didn’t gloss over the wrongs they did – but he let God raise him up to lead in love from the place of his wounding. Our wounds don’t disqualify us; with God they can empower us. Out of his wounds, Joseph became the very hope for the salvation of his entire family. We’ll see Someone else later in the scriptures who did the same thing for all the families on earth.

I think Paul was getting at something similar when he spoke of how God used his afflictions:

“‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”

I don’t believe God causes the wounds and I know he doesn’t inspire people to do evil. But God will use the evils that have been done and the wounds they caused to show His great power and love through you.  That’s just how good God is.

So, with references to Joseph and Paul, who experienced challenges, wounds, and weaknesses as God led them toward great leadership, I’ll end with one more. Our great Leader, Jesus, was wounded, died, and rose to make a way for salvation for all the families in the world. The very cross He bore in weakness became the instrument of power for the salvation of the world.

“Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hands into the wound in my side…Believe.”

So, if you’re walking through life with wounds, don’t be ashamed. Don’t ask, “Why was I wounded?” A better question is, “God, what do you want to do with these wounds?” The place of your wounds are where God will often show His greatest power and love through you.

Forgive, trust God, and let Him create a supernaturally empowered ministry from the place of your wounding.

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