“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
Psalm 147:3
There are seasons in life when the weight of pain feels almost unbearable. It might come through loss, betrayal, disappointment, or the quiet ache of waiting. Sometimes we try to hide our wounds, pretending they don’t exist. We smile, say we’re fine, and move on. But inside, something still hurts. The truth is, every wound has a story, and when we place that story in God’s hands, it can become something beautiful.
God never wastes a wound. He is not careless with your pain. He doesn’t allow suffering just to make you stronger or to test you for no reason. Every tear, every scar, every moment of struggle can become part of His greater plan for your life. What the enemy meant to break you, God can use to build you.
The prophet Jeremiah understood this deeply. He was called by God to speak truth to a nation that didn’t want to listen. He faced rejection, loneliness, and moments of deep despair. There were times Jeremiah felt forgotten by God, even angry with Him. But every time he cried out, God reminded him that his calling had purpose. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” That verse from Jeremiah 1:5 tells us something powerful. God knew Jeremiah before the pain ever came, and He had already planned how to use every part of Jeremiah’s story for His glory.
That’s true for you too. God saw your pain before it happened. He saw every sleepless night, every broken dream, every time you felt unseen. He doesn’t overlook those moments. He collects your tears and holds them close. Even when you don’t understand what He’s doing, He’s still working behind the scenes, shaping your heart and drawing you closer to Him.
Sometimes the place of your deepest pain becomes the place where you meet God most intimately. Pain strips away all the distractions and pride. It brings you to a point where you can finally say, “Lord, I can’t do this without You.” And that’s where healing begins. Jeremiah once said, “I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me.” He was honest about his hurt. And God didn’t rebuke him for being honest. Instead, He strengthened him to keep walking.
You might not realize it now, but even in your hardest moments, God is near. He doesn’t pull away from brokenness; He leans into it. When your heart is raw and your words are messy, He listens. The same God who called Jeremiah to stand firm is standing beside you in your pain.
The Apostle Paul wrote something similar in 2 Corinthians 12:9. He said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul wanted God to remove what he called his “thorn in the flesh.” But instead of taking it away, God transformed it into a reminder of His grace. That’s what He does for us too. Sometimes the wounds we beg Him to erase are the very things that keep us close to Him. They remind us we’re not self-sufficient. They remind us we need His strength every single day.
Healing, though, doesn’t happen overnight. God can heal instantly, but often He chooses to do it in stages. Just like a physical wound needs time to close, emotional and spiritual wounds need time to mend. In Jeremiah 30:17, God promises, “I will restore you to health and heal your wounds.” That’s not an empty promise. It’s a process of restoration. God isn’t just trying to patch you up. He’s reshaping your heart, renewing your faith, and preparing you for what’s next.
Maybe you’ve prayed for healing for a long time and it feels like nothing has changed. Don’t give up. Just because you don’t see progress doesn’t mean God isn’t working. Healing is happening in ways you can’t see yet. He’s teaching you patience, building your endurance, and showing you how to rely on Him when nothing makes sense.
Sometimes healing isn’t about forgetting the wound. It’s about learning to live with peace even when the memory still stings. It’s about knowing that your scars are not signs of weakness but reminders of where God has brought you from. You can look back and say, “I didn’t think I’d make it through that, but God was faithful.”
When Jesus rose from the grave, He still had His scars. Think about that for a moment. The Son of God, who conquered death itself, chose to keep the marks in His hands and side. He could have returned without them, but He didn’t. His scars told a story, the story of victory, love, and redemption. They were proof that He had suffered, but also proof that He had overcome.
Your scars can tell a story too. What once brought you pain can now bring someone else hope. The very thing that hurt you can become the thing God uses to comfort others. The compassion you show, the wisdom you carry, the faith you’ve built, it all comes from walking through seasons of pain with God by your side.
God never wastes a wound. Every part of your story matters. Even the chapters you wish you could erase are part of the testimony He’s writing. He doesn’t just heal you to make you whole again; He heals you so you can help heal others. He restores you so you can point back and say, “Look what God has done.”
Maybe you’re in a place today where the pain feels fresh. Maybe you can’t see how any good could come from it. Hold on. God is still writing your story. He’s not finished yet. What looks like an ending might actually be the beginning of something new. The wound you have now might become the very place where His glory shines the brightest.
So keep trusting Him. Keep showing up. Keep praying, even when the words don’t come easily. Healing may take time, but it will come. One day you’ll look back and realize that God was with you in every step, turning every hurt into something holy.
Because He really never wastes a wound.
- Ellie Mont